LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Class 


\r\ 

or  THE 
UNIVERSITY 


Benjamin  $re0cott 


SDeccmfier  12,  is 32 
jpe&marp  25,  1005 


VNIV£R8<TY 

Of 


PRIVATELY  PRINTED 

ANN   ARBOR,    MICHIGAN 
FEBRUARY,  1906 


OB* 


[prefatory  fiote 

The  number  of  tributes,  both  public  and  private,  paid  to 
the  memory  of  Dr.  Prescott  is  so  great  as  to  make  it  seem 
advisable  to  refer  by  title  only  to  the  Memorials  and  Resolu- 
tions presented  by  the  following : 

The  Faculty  of  the  College  of  Dental  Surgery  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan. 

The  Instructors  of  the  Chemical  Laboratory. 

The  Alumni  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  who  are  now  con- 
nected with  Northwestern  University. 

The  Alumni  who  are  now  connected  with  the  University  of 
Maine. 

The  Faculty  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University 
of  Kansas. 

The  Senior,  Junior,  and  Sophomore  classes  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  Medicine  and  Surgery. 

The  Senior  and  Junior  classes  in  the  School  of  Pharmacy. 

The  Phi  Chi  Fraternity. 

The  Nu  Sigma  Nu  Medical  Fraternity. 

From  the  Senate  Memorial  are  omitted  such  portions  as  are 
fully  covered  by  what  is  contained  in  the  addresses  given  at 
the  Memorial  Service,  and  in  the  Biographical  Sketch. 


Contents 


Biographical  Shetcb 

By  Professor  Martin  L.  D'Ooge 

Memorial  Service 

Addresses  by 

President  James  B.  Angell 
Dr.  Victor  C.  Vaughan 
Professor  Martin  L.  D'Ooge 
Dr.  William  J.  Herdman 

/memorials  and  fResolutlons 

Memorial  of  the  Senate  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
Memorial  of  the  American  Chemical  Society 
Memorial  of  the  Michigan  State  Medical  Society 
Memorial  Session  of  the  Michigan  State  Pharmaceutical  Association 
Resolutions  of  the  Faculty  of  the  Department  of  Medicine  and  Surgery 
Resolutions  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association 
Resolutions  of  the  Faculty  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy 
Resolutions  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy 

personal  tributes 

By  Professor  F.  W.  Clarke,  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

By  Professor  Oscar  Oldberg,  of  Northwestern  University 

By  Doctor  A.  B.  Lyons,  of  Detroit 

By  Professor  Alfred  Senier,  of  Queen's  College,  Galway 

By  Professor  Edward  D.  Campbell,  of  the  University  of  Michigan 

By  President  James  B.  Angell 


of  Writings 

By  Doctor  Victor  C.  Vaughan 


Albert  Benjamin  jprescott 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT  was  born 
in  Hastings,  Oswego  County,  New  York,  December 
12,  1832. 

His  parents  were  Benjamin  Prescott  and  Experience 
Huntley  Prescott. 

Albert  was  the  ninth  generation  in  lineage  from  John 
Prescott  of  Standish,  Lancashire,  England,  who  came  to 
Boston  in  1640.  Of  the  same  lineage  were  also  William  H. 
Prescott,  the  distinguished  historian,  and  his  grandfather, 
Colonel  William  Prescott,  the  commander  in  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill.  On  a  farm  located  near  the  then  flourishing 
village  of  Hastings  Albert  first  saw  the  light,  as  the  youngest 
of  four  children.  The  old  home  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the 
family,  and  the  acre  of  ground  given  by  his  father  for  the  site 
of  a  schoolhouse  continues  to  be  used  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  father  of  the  household  was  a  man  of  unusual  intelli- 
gence and  refinement,  quiet  in  manner,  and  a  leader  in  the  com- 
munity and  in  the  Baptist  Church.  His  hospitable  home  gave 
welcome  to  ministers,  teachers,  and  to  others  who  were  espec- 
ially interested  in  the  well-being  of  the  church  and  state.  He 
was  an  ardent  advocate  of  the  freedom  of  the  slaves  and  promi- 
nent in  all  movements  of  social  reform. 

The  mother  was  a  woman  of  rare  dignity  of  character  and 
repose  of  manner,  endowed  with  the  gifts  of  beauty  of  person 
and  a  most  amiable  disposition. 

Blessed  with  such  a  parentage  and  in  such  a  favorable 
environment,  the  son,  who  possessed  a  keen  sense  of  humor  and 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


an  active  and  quick  mind,  gave  early  promise  of  a  career  of 
distinguished  usefulness  and  honor. 

But  in  the  ninth  year  of  his  age  this  promise  seemed  des- 
tined to  disappointment.  From  a  severe  fall  resulted  an  injury 
to  the  right  knee  which  made  the  lad  a  cripple  for  life.  The 
best  medical  skill  that  could  be  found  failed  to  make  a  complete 
cure.  But  for  the  wisdom  of  his  mother,  who  stoutly  opposed 
amputation  of  the  limb,  this  physical  disability  would  have 
become  still  more  serious.  For  about  five  years  the  young 
lad  was  confined  to  the  house,  often  to  his  bed,  for  months  at  a 
time.  But  these  years  of  suffering  and  privation  were  "the 
seed-time  of  his  future."  His  sister,  who  had  graduated  from 
an  academy  in  the  neighboring  town  of  Mexico  and  who  after- 
ward became  a  well-known  teacher,  gave  up  her  studies  in 
Miss  Willard's  Academy  in  order  to  devote  her  time  to  the 
care  and  education  of  her  beloved  brother.  Under  her  inspiring 
and  gentle  guidance  his  eager  mind  turned  to  good  reading. 
The  district  circulating  library,  which  was  kept  in  the  parental 
home,  contained  a  good  collection  of  choice  books.  In  those 
years  the  invalid  boy  made  the  acquaintance  of  many  volumes 
of  history  and  of  travel  in  foreign  lands,  but  the  English  poets 
became  his  especial  delight.  He  early  showed  marked  ability 
in  writing.  As  he  had  no  companions  of  his  own  age  to 
whom  he  could  communicate  his  thoughts  and  purposes,  he 
formed  the  habit  of  committing  these  to  paper  and  of  writing 
short  reviews  of  the  books  that  he  had  read.  His  fond  mother, 
in  later  years,  never  tired  of  telling  about  "the  stories  that 
Albert  used  to  write  when  he  was  a  boy." 

With  the  aid  of  his  sister  he  gained  a  fair  knowledge  of 
Latin,  and  from  other  private  teachers  he  received  instruction 
in  French  and  German  and  in  various  branches  of  science. 

In  1848,  when  Albert  was  in  his  sixteenth  year,  the  father 
of  the  family  was  removed  by  death.  Fortunately,  the  young 
man  could  soon  lay  aside  the  crutches  that  had  so  many  years 

12 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


been  required  to  support  him,  and  could  assist  the  older 
brother,  who  had  generously  abandoned  his  chosen  plans  of 
professional  study  and  had  decided  to  remain  on  the  farm  to 
care  for  the  dependent  household.  For  three  years  the  future 
teacher  and  scholar  did  the  lighter  work  on  the  farm,  con- 
tinuing meanwhile  his  studies  under  private  instruction. 

During  these  formative  years  his  outlook  upon  life  became 
widened.  He  joined  a  debating  club  and  heard  some  of  the 
leading  platform  speakers  of  the  day  in  a  course  of  popular 
lectures  organized  in  his  native  town.  Meanwhile,  he  had 
become  a  correspondent  of  The  Liberator,  the  well-known  anti- 
slavery  paper  published  in  Boston,  and  an  active  worker  in 
this  cause. 

In  1853  ne  went  to  New  York  City  to  act  as  correspondent 
for  the  New  York  Tribune,  his  special  work  being  to  gather 
and  edit  the  news  from  the  suburbs  of  the  city  and  along  the 
Hudson  River  as  far  as  Albany. 

But  his  mind  was  drifting  rapidly  to  more  serious  and 
scientific  work,  and  in  the  year  following  he  decided  to  devote 
himself  to  the  study  of  medicine.  His  family  tried  to  dissuade 
him  from  the  pursuit  of  a  profession  that  was  likely  to  make 
such  heavy  drafts  upon  his  slender  stock  of  physical  endur- 
ance; but  his  purpose  was  fixed.  To  use  his  own  words — 
"It  will  be  at  least  a  chance  for  more  study  and  give  me  a 
broader  life."  This  purpose  gave  him  great  joy  and  seemed 
to  increase  his  bodily  vigor.  While  preparing  himself  for 
admission  to  a  medical  school  he  taught  school  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. Chemistry  and  zoology  became  his  favorite  studies. 

Prior  to  entering  the  University  of  Michigan,  Mr.  Pres- 
cott  spent  three  years  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Greenleaf,  of  Brew- 
erton,  N.  Y.,  a  physician  of  recognized  ability  who  enjoyed  a 
large  practice. 

In  1860  he  came  to  Ann  Arbor  and  entered  the  Depart- 
ment of  Medicine  and  Surgery  of  the  University  of  Michigan. 

13 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


After  the  first  course  of  lectures  he  was  detained  for  one  year 
by  his  preceptor,  who  claimed  his  student's  services  as  his 
assistant.  In  the  fall  of  1862  he  returned  to  the  University 
and  became  a  student  assistant  to  Professor  Douglas,  a  posi- 
tion which  he  filled  until  his  graduation  in  March,  1864. 

In  July,  1864,  Dr.  Prescott,  after  passing  the  regular 
examination  for  medical  service  in  the  United  States  Army, 
received  the  appointment  of  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  volun- 
teer service,  and  was  first  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Totten  Hos- 
pital of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  A  little  later  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Medical  Board  of  Examiners  and  Chief  Surgeon  of 
the  Foundry  Hospital  in  the  city  above  named.  After  a  few 
months  of  service  in  this  hospital  he  was  appointed  to  the  still 
more  responsible  post  of  Chief  Surgeon  of  the  Jeffersonville 
General  Hospital,  which  was  one  of  the  largest  hospitals 
erected  in  the  time  of  the  civil  war,  and  which  was  subse- 
quently dismantled  under  the  supervision  of  Dr.  Prescott. 

He  was  honorably  discharged  from  service  in  the  army 
August,  1865,  with  tne  rank  of  Brevet  Captain. 

Immediately  upon  leaving  the  army  Dr.  Prescott  entered 
upon  his  life  work,  being  appointed  Assistant  Professor  of 
Chemistry  and  Lecturer  on  Organic  Chemistry  and  Metal- 
lurgy in  the  University  of  Michigan. 

When  the  School  of  Pharmacy  was  organized,  in  1868,  Dr. 
Prescott  was  charged  with  the  work  of  its  administration.  He 
enlisted  at  once  in  behalf  of  superior  laboratory  methods  and 
higher  standards  of  pharmaceutical  education.  In  1870  he 
was  promoted  to  the  professorship  of  Organic  and  Applied 
Chemistry  and  Pharmacy.  He  served  as  Dean  of  the  School 
of  Pharmacy  from  1876  and  as  Director  of  the  Chemical 
Laboratory  from  1884  until  the  time  of  his  decease. 

His  fruitful  work  as  a  teacher  and  an  investigator,  and 
his  numerous  contributions  to  his  chosen  science,  are  amply 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


set  forth  in  the  addresses  and  memorials  that  follow  and  in 
the  bibliography  of  his  writings. 

In  1885  Dr.  Prescott  was  honored  by  the  United  States 
Government  with  the  appointment  for  the  annual  assay  of  the 
coinage  of  the  mint. 

Dr.  Prescott  received  various  well  merited  academic 
honors  and  distinctions.  The  earliest  was  his  election  as 
Fellow  of  the  Chemical  Society  of  London  in  1886.  The  same 
year  his  Alma  Mater  honored  him  with  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Philosophy,  and  the  American  Chemical  Society  by  electing 
him  as  its  President.  He  was  the  first  presiding  officer  of  the 
conference  of  American  Pharmaceutical  Faculties,  and  was 
honored  with  the  Presidency  of  the  State  Pharmaceutical 
Association,  and,  in  1900,  of  the  national  body. 

In  1891  the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement 
of  Science  elected  him  as  its  President.  His  own  Alma  Mater 
conferred  upon  him  in  1896  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws,  and  a  similar  distinction  was  bestowed  upon  him,  in 
19°3>  by  Northwestern  University. 

He  presided  at  the  Congress  of  Chemists  held  in  connec- 
tion with  the  World's  Fair  at  Chicago  in  1893,  an(^  over  tne 
chemists  who  convened  at  the  recent  Scientific  Congress  held 
in  St.  Louis. 

In  1898  he  was  elected  to  membership  in  the  American 
Philosophical  Society  of  Philadelphia,  and,  in  1892,  to  hon- 
orary membership  in  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy. 

Incessant  and  manifold  as  his  labors  were  in  his  own  pro- 
fession, Dr.  Prescott  took  an  active  interest  in  all  intellectual 
progress,  and  was  ready  to  give  aid  and  encouragement  to 
many  beneficent  causes. 

He  had  a  keen  appreciation  of  whatever  was  beautiful, 
especially  in  Nature.  He  enjoyed  a  wide  outlook  on  the  world. 
He  visited  Europe  three  times,  twice  for  professional  study 
and  the  last  time,  in  1901,  for  a  pleasure  tour  through  Eng- 
land and  Wales. 

15 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


Remarkably  methodical  in  the  conduct  of  his  work,  he 
found  time  for  the  companionship  of  his  friends  and  for  the 
discharge  of  numerous  duties  as  a  citizen  and  as  a  member  of 
religious  and  benevolent  organizations.  Thoroughly  devoted 
to  his  own  science  and  the  work  of  his  own  department,  he 
felt  that  he  belonged  to  the  University,  and  he  never  asked  to 
be  excused  from  any  service  for  the  promotion  of  its  welfare. 

He  loved  his  students  and  had  a  sincere  interest  in  all  the 
alumni  of  the  University.  The  last  letter  he  ever  dictated, 
signed  when  the  hand  of  death  was  already  upon  him,  is  so 
full  of  the  spirit  of  personal  affection  for  his  former  students 
that  it  seems  proper  to  give  it  here  as  characterizing  this 
devoted  teacher. 

ANN  ARBOR,  Feb.  21,  1905. 
MICHIGAN  AMJMNI, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Gentlemen: — 

I  have  great  pleasure  in  giving  my  greetings  to  all  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan  alumni  assembled  in  the  annual  Milwaukee  meet- 
ing, and  very  greatly  regret  that  I  cannot  be  with  you  in  person. 
I  desire  especially  to  express  my  grateful  appreciation  of  your 
very  kind  personal  invitation  for  this  your  meeting  in  1905.  I 
recall,  with  very  great  pleasure,  my  personal  friendships  with  the 
members  of  all  departments  of  the  University  of  Michigan  now 
resident  in  Wisconsin.  Michigan  and  Wisconsin  are  reciprocally 
bound  together  by  common  interests  and  common  standards  of 
university  advancement.  To  each  one  of  you,  again,  I  wish  to 
extend  the  heartiest  of  greetings. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

ALBERT  B.  PRESCOTT. 


That  he  in  turn  enjoyed  the  unfeigned  respect  and  admira- 
tion of  his  students  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  numerous 
tributes  of  affection  paid  to  his  memory  by  them. 

16 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 

Early  in  his  career  the  wisdom  and  greatness  of  Dr. 
Prescott' s  character  came  to  view.  When  in  1873,  at  the  first 
meeting  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  the  dele- 
gate of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
was  rejected  on  the  ground  that  this  school  did  not  require 
the  necessary  experience  for  a  diploma,  "Professor  Prescott," 
to  use  the  words  of  an  eyewitness,  "instead  of  complaining  and 
leaving  the  meeting  in  a  huff,  joined  the  organization,  and  has 
been  with  it  from  that  day  to  this  as  one  of  its  most  active  and 
distinguished  members ;"  and  it  is  fitting  to  say  of  him : 


"That  man  is  great  and  he  alone 
Who  serves  a  greatness  not  his  own." 


In  the  more  intimate  and  sacred  relations  of  life  Dr.  Pres- 
cott exemplified  the  graces  and  virtues  of  a  beautiful  and  lofty 
character.  He  was  the  Christian  gentleman  always  and 
everywhere. 

Firm  and  unyielding  in  his  devotion  to  principle  and  duty, 
yet  charitable  and  kind  in  his  judgment  of  others,  he  held  "the 
faith  in  the  bond  of  peace  and  in  righteousness  of  life." 

Reverent  and  loyal  to  the  past,  he  was  openminded  towards 
the  present  and  eager  to  welcome  new  truth  in  religion  as  in 
science.  In  one  of  his  journals  his  attitude  towards  religious 
truth  is  indicated  in  these  words :  "None  of  us  by  searching 
can  find  God  out,  but  if  we  listen  we  can  each  of  us  hear  His 
voice  in  our  hearts  bidding  us  to  worship  Him.  The  soul 
must  trust  to  its  instincts  in  matters  of  spiritual  life;  even  as 
the  lower  animals  live  by  instinct  in  this  our  life  of  reason; 
aye,  even  as  we  ourselves  breathe  the  air  by  which  our  bodies 
live."  Dr.  Prescott  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Ann  Arbor  in  1874,  and  was  for  many  years,  until  the  time  of 
his  death,  one  of  its  official  board.  His  wise  counsel  and  his 
beautiful  life  are  a  precious  inheritance  to  this  communion. 

17 


TflTfcft^ 

g|g 

''•  ">••».•*•;••»•*«»*' 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


He  was  married  in  1866  to  Miss  Abigail  Freeburn,  of  Ann 
Arbor.  Never  was  there  a  more  perfect  union  of  accordant 
minds.  The  quiet  joys  and  deep  satisfactions  of  that  peaceful 
home  no  words  can  fittingly  describe.  An  adopted  son  held  in 
Dr.  Prescott's  heart  the  place  of  an  own  child,  who  in  turn 
loved  him  as  his  own  father. 

After  an  illness  of  several  weeks  in  which  hours  of  pain 
and  suffering  were  endured  without  a  murmur  or  complaint, 
comforted  by  an  unfaltering  trust  in  Christ  as  his  Saviour, 
Dr.  Fresco tt  entered  into  his  rest  on  February  25,  1905.  On 
the  28th  day  of  February  the  funeral  service,  conducted  by  his 
pastor,  the  Rev.  J.  Mills  Gelston,  D.  D.,  was  held  at  the  home 
which  for  so  many  years  had  been  blessed  by  his  presence. 

As  he  was  tenderly  borne  to  the  house  appointed  for  all 
the  living,  one  feeling  overmastered  us  all : 

"I  wondered  what  it  was  that  died? 

The  man  himself  is  here, 
His  modesty,  his  scholar's  pride, 

His  soul  serene  and  clear. 

These  neither  Death  nor  Time  shall  dim ; 

Still  this  sad  thing  must  be — 
Henceforth  I  may  not  speak  to  him, 

Though  he  can  speak  to  me." 


18 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


./memorial  Service 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


Memorial  Service 


In  honor  of  Professor  Albert  Benjamin  Fresco tt,  M.  D., 
Ph.  D.,  LL.  D.,  a  memorial  service  was  held  under  the  auspices 
of  the  faculties  and  students  of  the  Departments  of  Medicine 
and  Surgery  and  of  Pharmacy,  in  Sarah  Caswell  Angell  Hall, 
February  28,  1905,  at  10  o'clock.  Following  a  prayer  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Gelston,  President  Angell,  Dr.  Vaughan,  Pro- 
fessor D'Ooge,  and  Dr.  Herdman  spoke  in  appreciation  of  the 
life  and  work  of  their  colleague.  Following  is  the  text  of  the 
addresses. 

President  James  B.  Angell— 

The  University  has  met  with  an  irreparable  loss.  Every 
one  of  us  has  met  with  a  great  personal  loss.  We  gather  here 
for  a  little  in  order  that  we  may  speak  a  few  words,  however 
inadequate,  of  our  friend  who  has  gone  before. 

Dr.  Prescott  was  a  man  of  singular  modesty.  Perhaps  that 
would  strike  one  who  knew  him  well  as  his  most  character- 
istic trait.  With  all  his  attainments  he  was  a  man  who  was 
never  assuming.  He  was  modest  almost  to  a  fault.  He 
effaced  himself  in  the  presence  of  others,  before  whom  he 
might  well  have  asserted  himself. 

He  was  also  a  man  of  most  winsome  amiability.  Though 
reserved  in  temperament  and  not  moving  rapidly  to  make 
friendships,  I  think  that  no  man  was  more  loved  by  those  who 
knew  him.  His  heart  ran  out  with  good  wishes  for  all,  and 
wherever  it  was  in  his  power  to  render  service  to  any  man  he 
was  more  than  swift  to  render  it. 

Yet  it  would  be  a  great  mistake  to  suppose,  because  of 
these  qualities,  that  he  was  a  man  without  positive  traits.  He 


21 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


had  well  established  convictions  and  to  these  he  adhered  with 
great  firmness.  He  had  great  persistence  in  his  work.  What- 
ever plans  he  had  formed  he  pushed  to  the  very  end.  There  lies 
in  my  drawer  now  a  paper,  one  of  the  last  he  wrote,  in  which  he 
sketched  an  elaborate  plan  for  the  construction  of  a  new  chem- 
ical laboratory,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  when  it  is  built,  it 
will  follow  the  lines  which  he  has  laid  out,  and  I  trust,  as  do 
you  all,  that  it  will  bear  his  name. 

He  was  a  man  of  the  highest  ethical  and  religious  tempera- 
ment, of  the  simplest  character,  and  the  purest  motives.  Ever 
courteous  to  others  and  catholic  toward  all,  yet  he  was  firm 
in  his  own  deep-seated  principles  of  right  and  truth.  His  life 
was  so  impressive  in  its  moral  influence  that  every  one  held 
him  in  highest  esteem.  In  the  religious  organizations  of  the 
University  and  the  people  of  his  church  he  ever  felt  a  deep 
interest;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  ever  looked  with  the 
most  earnest  desire  for  the  realization  by  them  of  those  lofty 
moral  and  religious  ideals  which  were  to  him  the  dearest 
things  in  life. 

His  devotion  to  the  University  was  absolute.  The  longest 
of  any  of  us  in  its  service,  he  was  unsurpassed  by  any  in 
fidelity.  I  think  his  colleagues  will  agree  with  me,  that  no 
man  carried  greater  weight  with  us  by  his  opinions  and  coun- 
sels. He  had  an  eminently  judicial  mind.  He  looked  on 
problems  from  all  sides  with  large  views  of  what  a  University 
should  be,  and  with  high  ideals  and  the  loftiest  scholarship  he 
helped  us  shape  our  plans. 

He  was  tender  in  his  affections  toward  the  graduates  who 
had  gone  out  into  life.  On  Wednesday  last  when  I  was  with 
him  and  was  leaving  to  go  to  the  Alumni  meeting  in  Milwau- 
kee, to  which  he  had  also  been  invited,  I  said  to  him :  "If  you 
can  dictate  a  few  lines  to  your  Milwaukee  friends  I  am  sure 
they  will  be  delighted."  In  an  hour  or  two  there  came  to  my 
house  a  note  dictated  by  him  and  signed  with  his  own  hand. 


22 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


I  took  the  note  with  me  and  it  was  read  on  Friday  night  to  the 
great  gratification  of  his  former  students.  I  suppose  this  was 
the  last  signature  that  he  made;  and  it  was  characteristic  that  it 
should  be  a  communication  to  his  old  students  whom  he  loved. 
Such  a  character  as  this  is  a  treasure  to  us  which  we  cannot 
too  highly  prize.  I  hope  it  will  ever  be  an  inspiration  to  us  all 
in  the  years  in  which  we  remain. 

Dr.  Victor  C.  Vaughan— 

Mr.  President,  Colleagues,  and  Students: 

It  has  fallen  to  my  lot  to  present  to  you  a  brief  statement 
of  the  scientific  work  of  Professor  Prescott.  This  is  not  an 
easy  task  and  it  will  necessarily  be  done  in  an  imperfect  and 
incomplete  manner.  His  research  covers  a  wide  range  in 
analytical,  pharmaceutical,  and  organic  chemistry.  His  contri- 
butions have  appeared  originally  for  the  most  part  in  Amer- 
ican and  English  journals  and  many  of  them  have  been  trans- 
lated and  have  appeared  either  in  full  or  in  abstract  in  German 
and  French  publications.  His  first  paper,  so  far  as  the  writer 
knows,  appeared  in  the  Engineering  and  Mining  Journal  for 
December,  1869.  It  dealt  with  the  subject  of  blow  pipe  analy- 
sis and  covered  the  methods  for  the  dry  assay  of  gold,  silver, 
lead,  and  copper.  In  this,  his  first  paper,  Dr.  Prescott  has 
written  tersely  and  clearly.  His  directions  are  sufficiently 
minute  for  the  intelligent  student  to  follow  and  yet  wholly 
free  from  unnecessary  duplication  of  words.  His  style  is 
clear  without  prolixity  and  terse  without  obscurity. 

In  the  following  year  (1870)  he  contributed  to  the  Chem- 
ical News  of  London  a  description  of  an  apparatus  devised  by 
himself  for  rapid  vaporization  with  limited  heat.  This  article 
was  widely  abstracted  by  chemical  journals  in  other  languages, 
and  was  the  first  step  in  the  development  of  his  international 
reputation  as  a  research  student.  Subsequent  contributions 

23 


ALBERT     BENJAMIN     PRESCOTT 


of  value  followed  along  like  lines  and  met  with  the  same 
extended  notice. 

The  first  edition  of  Douglas  and  Prescott's  Qualitative 
Analysis,  which,  in  successive  editions  and  with  various 
changes  in  both  title  and  content,  has  been  the  guide  of  hun- 
dreds of  beginners  in  chemistry,  appeared  in  1874,  and  was 
immediately  recognized  as  a  most  satisfactory  laboratory 
manual.  This  book  continues  to  be  widely  used  in  laboratories 
and  is  probably  today  the  best  known  book  on  the  subject  in 
this  country.  Professor  Prescott's  inclination  towards 
organic  chemistry  began  to  crystalize  in  the  early  seventies  as 
was  shown  by  the  appearance  of  his  "Outlines  of  Proximate 
Organic  Analysis"  in  1875.  This,  the  first  text  on  this  sub- 
ject in  the  English  language,  was  immediately  recognized  both 
in  this  country  and  England  as  the  standard.  Of  it  the 
Chemical  News  of  London  said:  "Organic  analysis  may  be 
described  as  a  comparatively  untrodden  field.  We  trust  that 
the  author  will  find  opportunity  to  continue  the  important 
undertaking  on  which  he  has  entered."  The  Mining  Journal, 
also  of  London,  added :  "An  outline  which,  if  not  perfect,  will 
assuredly  form  the  basis  upon  which  the  future  of  organic 
analysis  will  be  built.  A  work  which  is  well  worthy  of  recog- 
nition as  a  text-book  both  in  England  and  America  and  upon 
the  utility  of  which  the  author  may  well  be  congratulated." 
Later,  Dr.  Prescott  produced  his  larger  work  on  proximate 
organic  analysis,  the  most  complete  text  upon  this  subject  in 
the  English  language. 

The  publication  in  the  same  year  (1875)  of  his  Mono- 
graph on  "The  Chemical  Examination  of  Alcoholic  Liquors" 
extended  the  author's  reputation  as  a  writer  of  successful  text- 
books, and  this  reputation,  so  largely  due  to  the  thoroughness 
of  his  knowledge  and  the  clearness  of  his  statement,  has  not 
only  continued,  but  has  grown  into  full  fruition  during  the 
thirty  years  that  have  elapsed  since  his  first  texts  were  written. 

24 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


For  many  years  Professor  Prescott  has  published  under 
the  head  of  "Contributions  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of 
the  University  of  Michigan"  the  research  work  done  by 
students  under  his  direction.  Like  other  great  teachers  of 
science  he  has  been  most  liberal  in  the  help  rendered  to  his 
students.  He  always  took  great  pleasure  in  inciting  his 
students  to  undertake  research.  In  his  quiet  way,  which  his 
old  students  know  so  well  and  love  so  dearly,  he  has  supplied 
them  with  ideas,  directed  them  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work, 
and  then  published  the  results  under  the  student's  name.  The 
worth  of  such  a  clear  headed,  big  hearted  instructor  to  the 
students  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  come  under  his  influence 
is  greater  than  gold,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  chemical 
laboratory  of  this  University  became  the  birthplace  of  such 
chemists  as  Wrampelmeier  of  London,  Young  of  Northwest- 
ern, Dennis  of  Cornell,  Ewell  and  Crampton  of  the  Agricul- 
tural Department,  Hesse  of  Germany,  the  late  Henry  Parsons 
of  New  York,  and  our  own  Gomberg,  whose  epoch  making 
researches  on  the  valence  of  carbon  has  brought  to  the  Uni- 
versity great  honor  from  the  leading  chemists  of  the  world. 

Dr.  Prescott's  papers  reporting  research  in  analytical, 
pharmaceutical,  and  organic  chemistry,  with  those  credited  to 
his  students  and  done  under  his  supervision,  number  probably 
about  two  hundred,  and  among  these  are  many  of  great  value, 
while  all  are  real  contributions  to  science.  As  a  toxicologist 
Dr.  Prescott  has  won  a  high  place,  especially  for  the  precision 
of  his  investigations.  No  one,  certainly  since  the  time  of 
Wormley,  has  given  more  attention  to  the  delicacy  and  limita- 
tions of  tests  for  alkaloidal  and  other  organic  poisons,  and  his 
contributions  along  these  lines  are  to  be  found  not  only  in 
journals  but  also  in  the  more  recent  encyclopaedic  works  on 
medical  jurisprudence,  such  as  the  system  of  Hamilton  and 
the  treatise  of  Haines  and  Peterson.  It  has  been  my  fortune 
to  serve  as  expert  with  him  in  many  cases,  sometimes  as 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


colleague  and  occasionally  as  opponent.  His  testimony  was 
always  clear,  scientific,  and  free  from  partisan  bias.  The 
science  of  toxicology  has  been  greatly  enriched  by  his 
researches.  In  sanitary  chemistry  Dr.  Prescott  has  done  much 
valuable  work.  The  chemical  examination  of  drinking  water 
and  the  efficiency  of  filtration  have  been  matters  of  investiga- 
tion along  these  lines.  The  detection  of  foreign  fats  in  butter 
and  of  coloring  matter  in  butter  substitutes  he  has  made  the 
subjects  of  special  investigations,  and  among  his  students, 
Geissler,  Cochrane,  Ewell,  Cramp  ton,  Doolittle,  VanSlyke,  and 
others  have  become  leaders  in  their  studies  of  foods  and  food 
adulterations.  He  has  rendered  the  State  of  Michigan  signal 
service  in  the  aid  he  has  given  different  food  commissioners  in 
enforcing  the  pure  food  laws.  He  participated  most  heartily 
and  effectively  in  the  detection  of  harmful  preservatives  in 
foods. 

As  Dean  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  since  its  establishment 
in  1876,  he  has  always  worked  for  high  ideals  in  the  profession, 
and  his  students  have  taken  advanced  positions  in  many  states. 
His  influence  for  good  has  been  largely  felt  in  both  the  state 
and  the  national  pharmaceutical  associations.  For  many 
years  he  has  served  either  as  an  active  or  advisory  member  of 
the  Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  National  Pharmacopoeia, 
and  many  of  the  methods  found  in  this  official  publication  owe 
their  excellence  to  his  investigations  in  his  laboratory. 

As  a  member  of  the  Medical  Faculty  for  the  past  forty 
years  and  as  the  senior  member  since  the  death  of  Dr.  Ford 
in  1894,  his  colleagues  have  looked  to  him  for  wise  counsel  and 
unprejudiced  advice,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  they  have 
never  been  disappointed.  Although  not  in  active  practice 
since  he  resigned  from  the  medical  service  of  the  army  in  1865, 
he  has  always  been  keenly  alive  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
profession  and  has  made  valuable  contributions  to  the  local, 
state,  and  national  societies.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 

26 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


the  American  Chemical  Society  and  one  of  the  chief  contribu- 
tors to  its  official  publication.  He  served  as  President  of  this 
society  in  1892,  and  as  senior  member  of  the  Michigan  branch 
he  has  done  much  to  keep  the  local  organization  in  working 
harmony  with  the  national  body.  He  served  as  chairman  of 
the  chemical  section  of  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science  in  1887,  when  his  address  on  "The 
Chemistry  of  Nitrogen  as  Disclosed  in  the  Constitution  of 
the  Alkaloids"  was  given.  He  presided  at  the  World's  Con- 
gress of  Phemists  in  Chicago  in  1893,  and  was  President  of 
the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science  in 
1891. 

The  work  done  by  Murrill  under  Dr.  Prescott's  directions 
for  the  Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  in 
1898  involved  laborious  research  in  the  literature  of  the  sub- 
ject and  much  patient  work  in  the  laboratory.  This  paper  was 
published  by  the  Committee  on  Revision  in  a  pamphlet  of 
fifty-eight  pages.  The  chemical  bibliography  of  morphine  pre- 
pared by  Brown  under  Dr.  Prescott's  supervision  embraces 
two  hundred  and  sixty-three  titles  with  a  condensed  abstract 
of  each,  collected  from  English,  French,  German,  Italian,  and 
Russian  literature,  and  for  the  time  covered — 1875  to  1896 — 
is  the  most  complete  found  in  any  language.  The  research  on 
"The  Caffein  Compound  in  Kola"  carried  out  with  Knox 
under  the  Stearns  Fellowship  adds  much  to  our  knowledge  of 
plant  chemistry  in  general  and  of  the  caffein  compounds  in 
particular. 

Probably  the  Opus  Magnum  of  Dr.  Prescott  in  his 
research  investigations  is  his  work  on  the  Alkaloidal  Iodides. 
This  research  extended  through  several  years  and  in  it  Dr. 
Prescott  had  the  assistance  of  several  students,  notably  of 
Gordin.  As  early  as  1839  Bouchardat  proposed  that  a  solu- 
tion of  iodine  in  potassium  iodide  be  used  as  an  alkaloidal 
precipitant  This  proved  to  be  an  exceedingly  delicate  test 

27 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


giving  visible  precipitates  with  some  of  the  more  important 
medicinal  alkaloids  in  dilutions  of  one  part  to  50,000  to 
100,000  parts  of  water.  In  1861  Wagner  recommended  a 
deci-normal  solution  of  iodine  in  potassium  iodide  for  the 
volumetric  determination  of  the  alkaloids.  The  great  Danish 
chemist,  Jorgensen,  later  in  the  sixties  used  the  alkaloidal  per- 
iodides  in  the  study  of  structure,  but  it  remained  for  Fresco tt 
and  his  students  to  study  the  formulae  of  many  of  the  per- 
iodides  and  to  make  the  volumetric  examination  of  the  alka- 
loids with  this  reagent  a  practical  success.  In  selecting  the 
research  on  the  alkaloidal  iodides  as  the  greatest  work  done 
by  Dr.  Prescott,  it  is  possible  that  I  am  in  error  and  that  the 
palm  should  be  given  to  his  method  for  the  assay  of  opium 
adopted  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  in  1880  and  again  in  a  modified 
form  in  1890. 

I  am  aware  of  the  fact  that  my  presentation  of  the  scientific 
work  of  our  late  teacher  and  colleague  is  unsatisfactory, 
probably  more  so  to  me  than  to  any  one  else.  To  have  given 
the  bare  titles  of  his  papers  would  have  taken  more  time  than 
I  have  had  at  my  disposal,  but  I  have  endeavored  to  give  you 
some  general  idea  of  the  valuable  work  he  has  done.  In  pre- 
senting this  summary  I  have  knowingly  exaggerated  nothing, 
because  he  would  not  have  wished  it  so.  Twenty  years  ago 
Dr.  Prescott  read  a  tribute  to  one  of  his  best  beloved  students, 
Henry  B.  Parsons,  and  in  this  tribute  may  be  found  the  follow- 
ing :  "Our  words,  poor  at  best,  must  not  be  unmeasured  terms 
of  amplified  encomium,  for  such  would  ill  suit  the  true  scien- 
tific spirit  of  our  departed  friend.  For  him  no  tribute  of  speech 
can  be  more  proper  than  a  simple  and  just  recital  of  the  serv- 
ices he  has  rendered  during  the  period  granted  him  for  the 
labors  of  life."  These,  his  own  words,  fitly  describe  him  whose 
death  we  today  mourn.  He  needs  no  eulogy.  The  forty  years 
spent  as  a  teacher  and  investigator  in  this  University  have  been 
for  him  full  of  labor  and  love  for  his  labor.  Probably  we  have 

28 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


never  until  today  realized  how  much  he  has  accomplished.  He 
is  dead,  but  his  labor  has  not  been  lost.  In  writing  of  a 
departed  colleague  some  years  ago,  Dr.  Prescott  said:  "A 
work  that  is  wrought  out  in  the  endeavors  of  science  acquires 
a  certain  momentum.  When  the  worker  is  taken  away  from 
his  place  among  men  the  work  does  not  pause,  being  car- 
ried on  by  the  power  of  previous  impulse.  In  any  realm  of 
thought  the  force  imparted  by  an  earnest  man  is  often  seen 
more  plainly  and  estimated  more  fairly  after  death  has  taken 
him  away.  So  separate  and  secluded  are  the  channels  of  men's 
labor,  under  the  prevailing  tendency  to  division  of  effort,  that 
people  do  not  become  aware  of  the  toil  of  their  contemporaries 
until  some  occasion  calls  for  the  writing  of  a  record."  Again, 
how  aptly  his  words  apply  to  himself.  We  have  never  appre- 
ciated him  so  highly  as  we  do  today.  In  our  daily  companion- 
ship with  him  we  were  always  aware  of  his  goodness  and  quite 
forgot  his  greatness,  but  both  his  goodness  and  his  greatness 
are  immortal  and  will  prove  helpful  to  the  race  in  its  struggle 
up  that  rugged  mountain  of  effort  beyond  which  lies  the  prom- 
ised land  of  human  perfection. 

Professor  Martin  L.  D'Ooge— 

My  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Prescott  began  in  1867,  when  I 
returned  to  the  University  and  became  a  member  of  the  Fac- 
ulty of  the  Department  of  Literature,  Science,  and  the  Arts. 

I  recall,  however,  seeing  him  in  the  days  when  we  were 
both  students,  for  it  happened  that  we  lived  for  a  time  in  the 
same  part  of  the  town  and  that  we  sometimes  passed  each 
other  on  the  street.  And  I  well  remember  how  much  I  was 
then  impressed  with  the  apparent  eagerness  and  vigor  with 
which  this  somewhat  frail  young  man,  in  spite  of  his  physical 
disability,  went  daily  to  the  pursuit  of  his  task. 

As  my  acquaintance  with  him  gradually  became  more  inti- 

29 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


mate  and  ripened  into  friendship,  I  learned  more  and  more  to 
esteem  and  to  admire  the  qualities  of  his  beautiful  character. 

Dr.  Prescott  was  one  of  the  most  modest  of  men,  and  I 
would  not  speak  a  word  that  would  seem  to  him  to  be  one  of 
fulsome  praise;  but  I  believe  I  have  full  warrant  for  saying 
that  his  life  and  character  approached  the  ideal  of  human 
perfection  so  nearly  as  to  be  conspicuous  and  rare. 

If  I  were  to  select  a  single  trait  of  this  rare  character  that 
always  impressed  itself  upon  my  mind  as  most  marked,  it 
would  be  the  remarkable  combination  of  gentleness  and 
strength,  in  which  gentleness  held  the  balance  of  power. 

Not  a  harsh  word,  nor  an  unkind  judgment  was  ever  heard 
to  fall  from  his  lips,  and  yet  there  was  strength  of  will,  firm- 
ness of  purpose,  that  could  be  as  unyielding  as  adamant. 

It  was  in  my  long  time  intercourse  with  Dr.  Prescott  as 
fellow-member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Students' 
Christian  Association  that  I  learned  to  know  him  best,  and  to 
value  the  qualities  of  his  well-balanced  character.  That 
judicious  temper  that  characterized  all  his  words  and  deeds 
was  frequently  displayed  in  his  deliberations  with  this  body. 
How  well-considered  were  his  counsels,  how  unerring  and 
true  was  his  judgment,  slowly  matured  but  firmly  held  and 
clearly  stated.  It  was  in  this  relation  also  that  I  had  fre- 
quent opportunity  to  observe  that  unaffected  and  simple 
religious  faith  and  that  sweetness  of  spirit  that  made  his  life  a 
benediction  wherever  he  was  known,  and  a  potent  force  in 
building  up  all  that  is  highest  and  best  in  this  community. 

There  are  many  lessons  to  be  drawn  from  the  life  of  this 
good  man  whose  departure  from  us  we  mourn  today.  But 
there  are  two  that  strike  me  as  particularly  noteworthy. 

First,  that  a  disability  that  seems  to  be  a  hindrance  to  one's 
success  in  life  may  be  overcome  and  be  made  in  some  other 
way  the  means  of  advantage  and  good. 

30 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


Dr.  Prescott  became  disabled  by  a  fall  when  he  was  a  boy 
nine  years  of  age.  From  that  time  until  he  was  eighteen — the 
period  when  boys  are  growing  strong  and  enjoying  the  sports 
of  youth — he  was  a  cripple  obliged  to  walk  on  crutches.  This 
sad  accident  which  resulted  in  permanent  deprivation  never 
made  him  morose  and  discontented,  but  spurred  him  on  to  seek 
his  recreation  in  other  ways  and  intensified  his  natural  fond- 
ness for  reading  good  books.  In  those  years  of  his  greatest 
disability  he  stored  his  mind  with  useful  knowledge,  learned  by 
heart  favorite  passages  from  sacred  scriptures  and  from  the 
poets,  and  acquired  a  love  of  good  letters  which  cheered  and 
comforted  him  all  his  days.  Never  can  I  forget  how  touch- 
ingly  beautiful  it  was  to  hear  him  recite  from  memory  a  little 
verse  from  Tennyson  a  fortnight  ago,  as,  sitting  propped  up 
by  his  pillows,  he  referred  to  his  fondness  for  the  great  poet 
laureate.  And  I  have  often  wondered  at  the  brightness  and 
cheeriness  of  this  dear  friend  when  I  reflected  upon  the 
limitations  that  had  handicapped  him  through  all  the  course 
of  his  life. 

The  second  lesson  his  life  teaches  us  is  implied  in  its  all- 
roundedness  and  remarkable  balance.  It  was  a  many-sided 
life  in  perfect  accord  and  harmony.  Dr.  Prescott  was,  as  we 
have  heard,  eminent  as  a  chemist.  He  cherished  high  ambi- 
tions in  his  science,  ambitions  that  were  gratified  and  honored 
by  his  compeers.  He  was  thoroughly  devoted  to  the  interests 
of  his  own  chosen  department,  but  he  was  deeply  interested 
also  in  all  the  activities  of  the  University;  and  no  plan  for 
promoting  its  growth  and  increasing  its  usefulness  and  raising 
its  standard  of  efficiency,  failed  to  find  in  him  a  warm  advo- 
cate and  staunch  friend. 

But  he  did  not  stop  here;  he  was  not  content  with  being 
simply  a  chemist,  and  a  University  professor;  he  was  also  a 
man  and  a  man  of  wide  sympathies  and  far-reaching  interests. 
"Nil  humani  a  me  alienum  puto"  could  be  said  by  him  with 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


perfect  truth.  He  filled  his  place  as  a  citizen  of  the  commu- 
nity; he  allowed  himself  time  to  enjoy  his  home  and  the  com- 
panionship of  friends;  ambitious  student  and  teacher  that 
he  was,  he  yet  knew  how  to  give  of  his  time  and  strength  to 
the  church  with  which  he  was  connected,  and  to  any  cause 
which  he  believed  was  likely  to  benefit  the  community  and  the 
world  in  which  he  lived. 

And  so  it  was  a  life  of  many  satisfactions  and  pre-emi- 
nently useful  in  manifold  ways.  What  a  fruitful  source  of 
good  this  life  has  been  to  this  University  and  to  those  who 
have  felt  its  impress,  no  one  can  justly  estimate.  The  memory 
of  this  singularly  beautiful  life  and  gracious  character  will  not 
fade  away  from  our  recollection. 

As  we  take  leave  of  this  beloved  friend  and  colleague,  and 
reflect  once  more  upon  his  life  and  character,  we  recall  the 
words  of  the  old  Greek  philosopher  in  which  he  describes  the 
just  and  good  man  and  writes  them  as  his  epitaph : 

"A  man  who  as  completely  as  possible  was  squared  and 
made  consistent  with  virtue,  in  word  and  in  deed." 

Dr  William  J.  Herdman— 

It  is  a  solemn  responsibility  he  assumes  who  undertakes  to 
place  an  estimate  upon  a  human  character  or  to  portray  the 
features  of  a  life  that  is  spent,  even  though  he  confine  his 
attempt  to  certain  phases  only  of  that  life.  Truth,  a  just 
balance,  a  righteous  judgment,  will  alone  stand  the  test  of  time, 
and  this  should  be  the  aim  if  we  wish  what  we  may  say  to 
endure,  and  gain  from  the  analysis  the  lessons  which  that  life 
teaches. 

Close  association  is  not  always  the  best  atmosphere  in 
which  to  get  clear  vision  of  another's  merits  or  demerits,  for 
our  perspective  is  too  liable  to  distortion  and  the  rays  of  light 
to  be  chromatic.  And  yet  long  years  of  fellowship  and  daily 
association  afford  the  opportunity  for  lives  to  touch  at 

3* 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


many  points  of  contact  and  furnish  the  material  for  a  true 
estimate  of  the  entire  round  of  faculties  possesed  by  such 
associates. 

If  time  proves  that  estimate  to  be  untrue,  feeling  and 
prejudice  have  entered  to  disturb  the  balance,  or  certain  essen- 
tial factors  were  overlooked. 

It  is  not  expected  of  me  nor  am  I  prepared  to  attempt  a 
complete  analysis  of  the  character  of  this  our  associate,  our 
teacher,  our  friend,  but  we  who  have  known  him  can  all  with 
confidence  affirm  that  nothing  would  be  more  foreign  to  his 
desire  than  that  the  writer  of  his  biography  should  indulge  in 
fulsome  praise  or  over-state,  in  the  minutest  degree,  the  value 
of  his  life-work. 

My  first  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Prescott  began  thirty-five 
years  ago  when,  an  undergraduate  in  the  literary  department,  I 
was  engaged  in  some  self-imposed  chemical  analysis  that 
required  the  use  of  the  spectroscope,  an  instrument  which  up 
to  that  time  I  had  not  seen  and  did  not  know  how  to  handle. 
I  learned  that  he  had  been  doing  some  work  with  this  instru- 
ment and  therefore  sought  his  aid.  The  kindly  reception 
which  he  gave  me  and  the  evident  sincerity  of  his  assurance 
that  the  demand  I  had  made  upon  his  time,  which  was  not 
inconsiderable,  was  by  no  means  a  trouble  but  rather  a  source 
of  pleasure  to  him,  made  such  an  impression  upon  my  mind  of 
his  innate  kindness  and  gentility  that  it  would  never  have  been 
effaced,  even  if  innumerable  instances  of  it  had  not  come  to  my 
notice  in  subsequent  years.  Many  a  man  with  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  scientist  and  the  teacher  might  respond  to  an  appeal  to 
his  superior  knowledge  for  assistance  even  when  compliance 
subjected  him  to  temporary  inconvenience,  but  it  requires  the 
inborn  courtesy  and  the  spirit  of  brotherly  kindness  to  be  ever 
and  at  all  times  ready  and  willing  as  he  was  to  respond  to  such 
demands,  and  to  uniformly  impress  the  worthy  applicant  that 
such  appeals  were  never  irksome.  And  to  this  as  a  funda- 

33 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


mental  characteristic  of  his  nature  all  bear  testimony  who  have 
known  him. 

Kindness,  gentleness,  and  self-sacrifice  combined  with  large 
and  exact  knowledge  and  with  a  disposition  and  a  capacity  for 
imparting  it,  was  the  estimate  of  this  man  which  I  gathered 
from  that  first  interview,  and  the  long  stretch  of  intervening 
years,  with  their  rich  store  of  observation  of  and  more  inti- 
mate association  with  him,  have  served  but  to  confirm  the  im- 
pression then  made. 

There  are  those  present  who  are  better  informed  than  I  am 
as  to  his  professional  attainments,  the  value  of  his  contribu- 
tions to  science,  his  administrative  capacity,  and  his  personal 
relations  with  his  students.  Under  each  of  these  headings 
there  is  much  to  be  said  by  way  of  commendation  before  the 
story  of  his  life-work  is  complete.  But  as  to  his  conscientious- 
ness in  the  fulfillment  of  a  trust  or  in  undertaking  a  task 
assigned  him,  and  of  his  thorough  and  methodical  plan  of  dis- 
charging all  obligations  which  he  assumed,  I  can  speak  from 
abundant  experience  with  him  in  many  fields  of  labor.  He 
was  the  ideal  candidate  for  places  of  trust.  His  scientific 
training  had  developed  in  him  an  accuracy  of  observation,  a 
patience  in  gathering  evidence,  a  deliberateness  in  drawing 
conclusions,  that  made  him  a  valuable  member  of  a  governing 
board  or  trustee  of  property  needing  wise  and  original  man- 
agement. He  seldom  ventured  an  opinion  that  was  to  serve 
as  an  incentive  for  action  that  was  not  the  result  of  mature 
and  well-balanced  consideration.  An  opinion  so  reached  was 
not  to  be  easily  shaken  and  the  tenacity  of  purpose  which  he 
often  exhibited  in  maintaining  his  ground  was  but  the  neces- 
sary result  of  a  conviction  that  he  had  carefully  weighed  the 
evidence  and  it  would  justly  bear  no  other  interpretation. 
And  yet  while  very  positive,  as  he  usually  was,  in  the  opinion 
he  expressed,  it  was  always  advanced  with  such  a  modesty  and 
deference  to  the  opinion  of  others  born  of  his  innate  courtesy, 

34 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


that  it  won  its  way  as  much  by  the  manner  in  which  it  was  pre- 
sented as  by  the  force  of  the  reasoning  on  which  it  was  based. 

Many  of  our  charitable  and  religious  organizations  in 
this  city,  state,  and  nation,  have  benefitted  by  his  guidance  and 
his  counsel,  and  he  never  wearied  or  shrank  from  responding 
to  their  calls.  Deeply  interested  as  he  always  was  in  the  highest 
welfare  of  his  fellows,  he  discharged  his  duties  of  citizenship 
with  the  same  conscientiousness  that  characterized  his  conduct 
in  other  spheres  of  action.  Student  and  investigator,  pre-emi- 
nently, he  yet  found  time  and  inclination  to  cultivate  the 
acquaintance  of  the  humble  citizens,  with  many  of  whom  he 
was  on  the  most  cordial  relations;  neither  was  he  a  stranger 
to  the  poor  and  the  distressed,  who  found  in  him  at  all  times 
a  sympathetic  friend.  Wherever  within  the  circle  of  his 
acquaintance  the  shadow  of  sorrow  or  affliction  hovered,  there 
his  heart  and  thought  found  expression  in  some  fitting  word 
of  comfort  or  some  kindly  deed. 

Thus  briefly  have  I  passed  in  review  certain  of  the  more 
salient  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  which  characterized  our 
associate,  our  teacher,  and  our  friend,  and  endeared  him  in 
life  to  us,  and  which  henceforth  will  ever  be  inseparable  from 
him  in  blessed  memories. 

But  I  should  fall  far  short  of  my  duty  and  fail  in  doing 
full  justice  to  his  memory  did  I  not  for  a  moment  direct  your 
attention  to  that  deep  religious  conviction  and  abiding  faith 
in  a  Divine  Creator  and  Ruler  of  the  Universe  which  was  his 
inspiration  and  his  source  of  strength. 

His  nature  was  essentially  religious ;  his  life  a  daily  expo- 
sition of  one  in  harmony  with  the  beneficent  Ruler;  and  he 
delighted  in  the  thought  that  he  was  a  humble  revealer  of 
certain  of  His  gifts  to  mankind  stored  up  in  the  treasure  vaults 
of  chemistry.  Witness  what  he  says  in  an  address  delivered 
before  a  learned  society  of  which  he  was  the  presiding  officer : 

"The  pride  of  pure  science  is  justified  in  this,  that  its 

35 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


truth  is  for  the  nurture  of  man;  and  the  ambition  of  indus- 
trial art  is  honored  in  this,  that  its  skill  gives  strength  to  man. 
It  is  the  obligation  of  science  to  bring  the  resources  of  the 
earth,  its  vegetation  and  its  animal  life,  into  the  full  service 
of  man,  making  the  knowledge  of  creation  a  rich  portion  of 
his  inheritance,  in  mind  and  estate,  in  reason  and  in  conduct, 
for  life  present  and  life  to  come.  To  know  creation  is  to  be 
taught  of  God." 

Again,  I  quote  from  an  address  entitled  "Religious  Teach- 
ings of  Chemical  Science,"  delivered  by  him  some  few  years 
past  before  the  students  of  this  University: 

"The  greatest  chemical  skill  cannot  alter  an  atomic  mass 
by  any  fraction  of  its  weight,  nor  can  it  effect  so  much  as  the 
slightest  variation  in  any  chemical  constant.  To  be  a  learner 
is  the  utmost  of  human  knowledge.  To  liberate  the  creative 
forces  and  make  way  for  them  is  the  utmost  of  human  skill. 
In  synthesis  or  analysis  the  highest  purpose  of  the  student  is 
the  same,  to  find  out  the  value  of  creation,  in  the  'things  that 
are  made.' " 
And  again : 

"The  task  of  the  chemist  is  rich  with  many  meanings  at 
every  step  of  the  way.  It  is  most  rich  when  the  hand  of 
God  is  recognized  in  all  the  fashionings  of  nature,  and  His 
truth  is  seen  to  be  the  strength  of  the  sands  under  our  feet." 

In  these  utterances  we  seem  to  behold  the  spirit  of  the  man 
standing  in  nature's  storehouse  and  awaiting  in  reverence  and 
yet  with  confidence  for  the  gifts  which  a  loving  Father  had, 
'from  the  beginning/  prepared  for  his  children,  and  which  but 
awaited  such  messengers  as  he  to  bear  them  to  their 
destination. 

This  is  the  attitude  of  mind  and  heart  by  which  this  teacher 
approached  his  daily  task.  He  sought  for  no  other  end  than 
the  right  interpretation  of  the  truth  which  the  Creator  has 
stored  up  in  the  secret  vaults  of  matter.  He  looked  for  no 

36 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


higher  reward  than  to  hear  from  Him,  whose  faithful  follower 
he  ever  strove  to  be,  now  that  his  course  is  run,  his  sheaves 
gathered,  the  comforting  words  of  commendation  "Well 
done."  Who  can  rightly  measure  the  potentiality  of  such  a 
life  as  this? 

It  is  an  enviable,  a  glorious  opportunity  which  is  granted 
the  teacher,  and  fortunate  indeed  is  he  who  grasps  it  rightly 
from  the  beginning  and  fully  comprehends  the  significance  of 
his  responsibilities.  We  are  prone  to  forget  that  the  instruc- 
tion we  impart  drawn  from  books,  from  meditation  and 
research,  is  but  a  small  share  of  the  lessons  we  impart 
to  those  who  wait  upon  our  teaching.  The  living  man  is  ever 
an  object  lesson  before  them.  His  character,  his  personality, 
the  manner  in  which  he  has  himself  responded  and  reacted  to 
the  experiences  of  life ;  the  effect  upon  him  of  the  material,  the 
mental,  moral,  and  spiritual  forces  about  him,  is  the  experi- 
ment which  silently  impresses  its  lessons  on  every  pupil. 

Am  I  wrong  in  the  belief  that  in  this  great  teacher  it  is  the 
life,  the  character  which  he  daily  exhibited  before  his  pupils 
throughout  his  long  period  of  service  in  this  University,  that 
will  bear  the  richest  fruitage  by  its  transforming  influence  on 
the  lives  of  others,  and  that  many  who  have  felt  the  inspiration 
of  that  life  will  rise  up  at  the  final  accounting  and  call  him 
blessed? 


37 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


.Memorials  and  fflesolutions 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


.Memorials  and  Resolutions 


SENATE    MEMORIAL. 

A  TRIBUTE  TO  ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT,  M.  Dv  F.  C.  S., 
PH.D.,  LL.D.,  LATE  PROFESSOR  OF  ORGANIC  AND  APPLIED 
CHEMISTRY,  DEAN  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHARMACY, 
AND  DIRECTOR  OF  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  IN  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  MICHIGAN,  BY  HIS  COLLEAGUES  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  SENATE. 

****** 

As  an  author,  Dr.  Prescott  has  become  widely  and  most 
favorably  known.  The  first  edition  of  "Douglas  and  Prescott's 
Qualitative  Analysis"  appeared  in  1874,  and  was  at  once 
recognized  as  standard.  This  book  has  passed  through  many 
editions,  and  now,  under  the  authorship  of  Prescott  and  John- 
son, is  annually  used  by  hundreds  of  beginners  in  Analytical 
Chemistry.  His  "Outlines  of  Proximate  Organic  Analysis" 
was  the  first  text  on  this  subject  in  the  English  language,  and 
its  successor  is  now  the  most  complete  treatise  on  the  subject. 
His  monograph  on  "The  Chemical  Examination  of  Alcoholic 
Liquors"  was  first  issued  in  1875,  and  remains  a  standard 
authority.  His  success  as  an  author  of  text-books  is  due  to 
his  thoroughness  of  knowledge  and  clearness  of  statement. 

As  a  toxicologist,  Dr.  Prescott  has  won  a  high  place,  espe- 
cially for  the  precision  of  his  investigations.  No  one,  certainly 
since  the  time  of  Wormley,  has  given  more  attention  to  the 
delicacy  and  limitations  of  tests  for  alkaloidal  and  other  organic 
poisons,  and  his  contributions  along  these  lines  are  to  be  found 

41 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


not  only  in  journals,  but  also  in  the  more  recent  encyclopaedic 
works  on  medical  jurisprudence,  as  that  of  Haines  and  Peter- 
son. As  an  expert  witness,  his  testimony  was  always  clear, 
scientific,  and  free  from  partisan  bias. 

In  sanitary  chemistry,  Dr.  Prescott  has  done  much  valuable 
work.  The  chemical  examination  of  drinking  water  and  the 
efficiency  of  filtration  have  been  matters  of  investigation  along 
these  lines.  The  detection  of  foreign  fats  in  butter  and  of 
coloring  matters  in  butter  substitutes  have  received  his  atten- 
tion, and  among  his  students,  Geissler,  Cochrane,  Ewell, 
Crampton,  Doolittle,  Van  Slyke,  and  others  have  become 
leaders  in  their  studies  of  foods  and  food  adulterations.  He 
has  rendered  the  State  of  Michigan  signal  service  in  the  aid 
he  has  given  food  commissioners  in  the  detection  of  harmful 
adulterations  and  preservatives,  and  in  the  enforcement  of  the 
pure  food  laws. 

As  Dean  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  since  its  establishment 
in  1 876,  he  has  always  worked  for  high  ideals  in  the  profession, 
and  his  students  have  taken  advanced  positions  in  many  states. 
His  influence  for  good  has  been  largely  felt  in  both  the  state 
and  the  national  pharmaceutical  associations.  For  many  years 
he  has  served  either  as  an  active  or  advisory  member  of  the 
Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  National  Pharmacopoeia, 
and  many  of  the  methods  found  in  this  official  publication  owe 
their  excellence  to  his  investigations  in  the  laboratory. 

As  a  member  of  the  Medical  Faculty  for  the  past  forty 
years  and  as  the  senior  member  since  the  death  of  Dr.  Ford  in 
1894,  his  colleagues  have  looked  to  him  for  wise  counsel  and 
unprejudiced  advice,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  they  have 
never  been  disappointed.  Although  not  in  active  practice  since 
he  resigned  from  the  medical  service  of  the  army  in  1865,  ne 
has  always  been  keenly  alive  to  the  best  interests  of  the  pro- 
fession and  has  made  valuable  contributions  to  the  local,  state, 
and  national  societies. 

42 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


For  many  years  Professor  Prescott  has  published  under 
the  head  of  "Contributions  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of 
the  University  of  Michigan"  the  research  work  done  by  stu- 
dents under  his  direction.  Like  other  great  teachers  of  science, 
he  has  been  most  liberal  in  the  help  rendered  to  his  students. 
He  always  took  great  pleasure  in  inciting  his  students  to  under- 
take research.  In  his  quiet  way,  which  his  old  students  know 
so  well  and  love  so  dearly,  he  has  supplied  them  with  ideas, 
directed  them  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  and  then  pub- 
lished the  results  under  the  student's  name.  The  worth  of 
such  a  clear-headed,  big-hearted  instructor  to  the  students  who 
are  fortunate  enough  to  come  under  his  influence  is  greater 
than  gold,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of 
this  University  became  the  birthplace  of  such  chemists  as 
Wrampelmeier  of  London,  Young  of  Northwestern,  Dennis 
of  Cornell,  Senier  of  Ireland,  Hesse  of  Germany,  the  late 
Henry  Parsons  of  New  York,  and  our  own  Gomberg,  whose 
epoch-making  researches  on  the  valence  of  carbon  have  brought 
to  the  University  great  honor  from  the  leading  chemists  of 
the  world. 

Dr.  Prescott' s  papers  reporting  research  in  analytical,  phar- 
maceutical, and  organic  chemistry,  with  those  credited  to  his 
students  and  done  under  his  supervision,  number  probably 
about  two  hundred,  and  among  these  are  many  of  great  value, 
while  all  are  real  contributions  to  science. 

His  contributions  have  appeared  originally,  for  the  most 
part,  in  American  and  English  journals,  and  many  of  them 
have  been  translated  and  have  appeared  either  in  full  or  in 
abstract  in  German  and  French  publications.  His  first  paper 
appeared  in  the  Engineering  and  Mining  Journal  for  Decem- 
ber, 1869.  It  dealt  with  the  subject  of  "Blow-Pipe  Analysis," 
and  covered  the  methods  for  the  dry  assay  of  gold,  silver, 
lead,  and  copper.  In  this,  his  first  paper,  Dr.  Prescott  has 
written  tersely  and  clearly.  His  directions  are  sufficiently 

43 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


minute  for  the  intelligent  student  to  follow,  and  yet  wholly 
free  from  unnecessary  duplication  of  words.  His  style  is  clear 
without  prolixity  and  terse  without  obscurity. 

In  the  following  year  (1870)  he  contributed  to  the 
Chemical  News  of  London  a  description  of  an  apparatus 
devised  by  him  for  rapid  vaporization  with  limited  heat.  This 
article  was  widely  abstracted  by  chemical  journals  in  other 
languages  and  was  the  first  step  in  the  development  of  his 
international  reputation  as  a  research  student.  Subsequent 
contributions  of  value  followed  along  like  lines,  and  met  with 
the  same  extended  notice. 

The  work  done  by  Murrill  under  Dr.  Prescott' s  directions 
for  the  Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  in 
1898  involved  laborious  research  in  the  literature  of  the  subject 
and  much  patient  work  in  the  laboratory.  This  paper  was 
published  by  the  Committee  on  Revision  in  a  pamphlet  pf  fifty- 
eight  pages.  The  chemical  bibliography  of  morphine  prepared 
by  Brown  under  Dr.  Prescott's  supervision  embraces  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty-three  titles,  with  a  condensed  abstract  of  each, 
collected  from  English,  French,  German,  Italian,  and  Russian 
literature,  and  for  the  time  covered — 1875  to  1896 — is  the 
most  complete  bibliography  on  this  subject  to  be  found  in  any 
language.  The  research  on  "The  Caffein  Compound  in  Kola" 
carried  out  with  Knox  under  the  Stearns  Fellowship,  adds 
much  to  our  knowledge  of  plant  chemistry  in  general  and  of 
the  caffein  compounds  in  particular. 

Probably  the  Opus  Magnum  of  Dr.  Prescott  in  his  research 
investigations  is  his  work  on  the  Alkaloidal  Iodides.  This 
research  extended  through  many  years,  and  in  it  Dr.  Prescott 
had  the  assistance  of  several  students,  notably  of  Gordin.  As 
early  as  1839  Bouchardat  proposed  that  a  solution  of  iodine  in 
potassium  iodide  be  used  as  an  alkaloidal  precipitant.  This 
proved  to  be  an  exceedingly  delicate  test,  giving  visible  precipi- 
tates with  some  of  the  more  important  medicinal  alkaloids  in 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


dilutions  of  i  part  to  50,000  to  100,000  parts  of  water. 
In  1 86 1  Wagner  recommended  a  deci-normal  solution  of  iodine 
in  potassium  iodide  for  volumetric  determination  of  the  alka- 
loids. The  great  Danish  chemist,  Jorgensen,  later  in  the 
sixties  used  the  alkaloidal  periodides  in  the  study  of  structure, 
but  it  remained  for  Prescott  and  his  students  to  study  the 
formulae  of  many  of  the  periodides  and  to  make  the  volumetric 
examination  of  the  alkaloids  with  this  reagent  a  practical 
success. 

Dr.  Prescott  was  most  methodical  in  all  his  work,  and  this 
enabled  him  to  accomplish  much  in  a  quiet  way.  He  held 
responsible  positions  in  many  public,  charitable,  and  religious 
organizations,  and  in  all  he  was  prompt  and  efficient. 

He  was  a  deeply  religious  man,  and  all  that  he  did  was  for 
the  good  of  his  fellows  and  to  the  glory  of  his  Creator.  He 
believed  in  the  religion  of  science  and  he  regarded  a  chemical 
discovery  as  a  revelation  of  the  wondrous  works  of  God. 

This  man  of  science  approached  the  solution  of  his  chemical 
problems  with  reverence  and  saw  in  the  structure  of  a  molecule 
a  manifestation  of  the  wonderful  wisdom  of  the  Creator.  In 
studying  the  mechanism  of  matter  he  never  forgot  the  Master 
Mechanic,  and  in  admiring  the  picture  he  never  forgot  the  skill 
of  the  painter. 

The  University  has  lost  one  of  its  most  eminent  men  and 
one  of  its  best  teachers,  and  we,  the  members  of  this  Senate, 
have  lost  an  honored  and  beloved  companion.  We  extend  to 
his  sorrowing  family  our  deepest  sympathy,  and  spread  on  our 
records  this  tribute  to  the  memory  of  our  beloved  colleague, 
whose  charm  of  manner  and  unfailing  courtesy  have  so  greatly 
endeared  him  to  us  all. 


45 


ALBERT     BENJAMIN     PRESCOTT 


MEMORIAL  OF  THE  AMERICAN  CHEMICAL  SOCIETY. 

[From  the  Journal  of  the  Society,  September,  1905.] 

In  1861  Dr.  Prescott  entered  the  University  of  Michigan 
to  study  medicine  and  chemistry,  and  was  graduated  in  1864 
with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  It  was  often  said  of 
the  medical  department  at  Ann  Arbor  in  those  days  that  it  con- 
sisted of  a  chemical  laboratory  with  a  medical  school  attached ; 
at  all  events,  chemistry  formed  a  very  important  part  of  the 
work  and  Prescott' s  interest  soon  centered  in  that  direction. 
After  graduation  he  received  an  appointment  as  an  army  sur- 
geon and  performed  creditable  service  at  several  posts  until  the 
armies  in  the  field  were  disbanded.  Then  he  returned  to  Michi- 
gan and  began,  in  the  fall  of  1865,  that  honorable  and  useful 
career  which  extended  through  a  period  of  forty  years.  He 
became  at  once  assistant  professor  of  chemistry  and  lecturer  on 
organic  chemistry  and  soon  developed  a  leaning  toward  ana- 
lytical and  technical  lines. 

In  1870  he  was  made  professor  of  organic  and  applied 
chemistry  and  pharmacy;  in  1876  he  was  made  dean  of  the 
school  of  pharmacy,  just  organized  as  a  separate  department; 
in  1884  he  was  appointed  director  of  the  chemical  laboratories 
of  the  university,  which  position  he  retained  until  his  death. 
He  encouraged  the  scientific  work  of  a  score  or  more  of  young 
men  who  have  since  achieved  distinguished  success  in  the  his- 
tory of  American  chemistry. 

Outside  the  University  Prescott  held  many  official  positions 
of  honor.  He  gave  a  large  amount  of  time  to  various  matters 
of  importance  to  the  State  of  Michigan,  especially  in  the  for- 
mulation of  laws  concerning  the  sale  of  foods  and  drugs.  In 
1876  he  became  a  member  of  the  Chemical  Society  of  London, 
and  in  1880  a  member  of  the  Revision  Committee  of  the  phar- 
macopoeia of  the  United  States,  where  his  work  was  of  the 
greatest  value.  In  1886  he  was  president  of  the  American 

46 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


Chemical  Society  and  in  the  same  year  vice-president  of  the 
American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science;  in 
1891  he  was  president  of  the  latter  body.  In  1893  ne  was 
chairman  of  the  section  on  analytical  chemistry  at  the  Con- 
gress of  Chemists  in  Chicago,  and  in  1904  he  was  chairman  of 
the  section  on  organic  chemistry  at  the  St.  Louis  Congress. 
As  a  presiding  officer  the  genial  manners  of  our  friend  won 
the  admiration  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.. 

The  published  papers  of  Prescott  amount  to  125  or  more, 
and,  counting  the  work  done  under  his  direction  and  published 
by  students,  to  about  200.  Many  of  this  long  series  dealt  with 
problems  in  sanitary  and  pharmaceutical  chemistry.  In 
the  latter  field  Prescott  became  years  ago  an  acknowledged 
authority,  and  his  work  for  the  various  revision  committees 
of  the  pharmacopoeia  is  of  lasting  importance.  Much  of  this 
work  had  to  do  with  methods  of  analysis  for  alkaloids,  and 
two  series  of  investigations  must  be  referred  to  as  of  unusual 
merit;  the  first  of  these  was  on  methods  of  assaying  opium, 
and  the  processes  worked  out  by  Prescott  became  official  by  the 
publication  of  the  pharmacopoeias  of  1880  and  1890.  A  good 
many  years  ago  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  old  problem  of 
the  nature  of  the  precipitate  formed  by  adding  a  solution  of 
iodine  of  potassium  iodide  to  various  solutions  of  alkaloids, 
and  in  the  course  of  his  studies  he  worked  out  accurately  the 
formulas  of  a  number  of  these  periodides,  and  with  some  of 
his  students,  especially  with  Gordin,  he  showed  how  exact 
volumetric  methods  may  be  based  on  these  reactions.  Much 
of  this  had  been  attempted  before,  but  without  practical  suc- 
cess. The  important  literature  on  this  point  may  be  found 
in  this  journal  17,  775  and  20,  706. 

No  text-books  in  analytical  chemistry  are  better  known  to 
American  students  than  are  those  of  Prescott.  In  1874  (with 
S.  H.  Douglas)  he  published  the  first  edition  of  the  "Qualita- 
tive Chemical  Analysis,"  which  was  followed  by  a  second 

47 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


edition  in  1876,  a  third  in  1880,  and  a  fourth  in  1888,  each 
new  edition  being  considerably  enlarged  and  improved.  In  its 
present  form  it  constitutes  an  excellent  text-book  of  general 
inorganic  chemistry.  In  1875  two  other  well-known  books 
were  issued,  the  "Outlines  of  Proximate  Organic  Analysis" 
and  the  "Chemical  Examination  of  Alcoholic  Liquors." 
Through  many  years  these  were  our  standard  authorities  in 
this  country,  and  they  enjoyed  great  popularity.  In  1879  a 
smaller  work  on  analysis  with  the  title  "First  Book  in  Quali- 
tative Analysis,"  was  published,  and  this  went  through  a  num- 
ber of  editions.  In  1887  Prescott  published  his  larger  work 
on  "Organic  Analysis,"  which  has  been  a  guide  in  the  labors 
of  many  American  chemists.  Of  equal  importance  in  many 
respects  is  the  chapter  on  "The  Alkaloids  in  Toxicology," 
which  he  contributed  to  the  American  Text-Book  of  Toxi- 
cology. 

This  short  resume  of  his  literary  work  is,  however,  far 
from  being  all  that  may  be  said  of  Dr.  Prescott ;  as  a  man  he 
was  more  than  respected, — he  was  loved  by  his  fellows. 
Through  a  long  series  of  years  he  was  a  regular  attendant  at 
the  meetings  of  the  American  Chemical  Society  and  the  Amer- 
ican Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  and  on  the 
opening  days  no  face  was  more  eagerly  sought  for  than  that  of 
Prescott.  In  his  after-dinner  talks  he  was  always  sensible  and 
kindly  with  something  to  say  that  was  worth  hearing.  At  the 
dinner  at  the  last  Cleveland  meeting  of  this  Society  (1903), 
especially,  he  spoke,  in  a  way  which  must  have  been  touching 
to  all  who  heard  him,  of  his  growing  age  and  of  the  younger 
generations  of  chemists  with  whom,  year  by  year,  he  came  in 
contact.  He  had  seen  much  of  the  real  development  of  our 
science  in  this  country  and  his  comments  on  the  work  of  others 
were  always  appreciative.  The  slightest  taint  of  jealousy  or 
coldness  toward  the  achievements  of  other  chemists  never 
appeared  in  the  judgments  of  Prescott,  and  in  his  whole  bear- 

48 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


ing  among  men  he  offered  an  example  of  straightforward  hon- 
esty and  simplicity  which  is  rare  enough  to  be  noticeable.  It 
may  be  truly  said  that  the  record  of  American  men  of  science 
is  enriched  by  the  noble  life  of  Albert  Benjamin  Prescott. 

MEMORIAL  OF  THE  MICHIGAN  STATE   MEDICAL  SOCIETY. 

The  Michigan  State  Medical  Society  wishes  to  put  on 
record  recognition  of  its  loss  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Albert  B.  Pres- 
cott, LL.D.,  Professor  of  Organic  Chemistry,  etc.,  and  Dean  of 
the  Department  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Michigan. 
He  became  a  member  of  this  Society  in  1883,  and  his  name 
was  placed  on  the  honorary  list  in  1904.  Dr.  Prescott  was  so 
well  known  to  members  of  the  Society  that  nothing  we  may 
say  can  add  or  detract  from  his  deserved  fame  as  a  scientific 
scholar,  an  authority  in  the  departments  of  medical  and  phar- 
maceutical science,  and  a  contributor  to  the  work  in  which  his 
professional  life  was  so  successfully  spent. 

The  profession  of  medicine,  not  only  of  Michigan,  but  of 
the  whole  country,  owes  a  great  debt  of  appreciation  and  grati- 
tude to  Dr.  Prescott  for  his  authoritative  contributions  to  med- 
ical science  and  for  the  high  plane  of  scientific,  professional, 
and  moral  standards  of  his  life. 

In  particular  the  profession  owes  much  to  Dr.  Prescott  for 
his  labors  in  exposing  the  worthlessness  of  many  patent  and 
proprietary  medicines  by  chemical  and  pharmaceutical  analysis. 
This  work  was  undertaken  years  ago  at  the  request  of  the 
Washtenaw  County  Medical  Society. 

His  kindly,  genial  face,  his  sympathetic  nature,  his  happy 
combination  of  scholar  and  gentleman;  learned,  without 
pedantry,  amiable,  without  ostentation ;  his  interest  in  the  good 
of  medical  study  and  practice,  endeared  him  alike  to  students 
and  practitioners  of  medicine,  and  will  serve  to  keep  his  mem- 
ory green  as  his  fame  is  lasting. 

49 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


This  Society  honors  itself  in  recognizing  and  recording  its 
appreciation  of  the  worth  and  character  of  Dr.  Prescott. 


MEMORIAL    SESSION 

OF  THE  MICHIGAN  STATE  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION, 
KALAMAZOO,    AUGUST   8,    1905. 

President  W.  A.  Hall,  of  Detroit,  introduced  the  subject 
of  the  session  in  a  few  feeling  words.  He  said  in  part : 

"Gathered  in  our  annual  assemblage,  we  miss  from  our 
number  one  who  was  wont  to  be  with  us — the  Nestor  of  phar- 
maceutical advancement  in  our  state.  He  never  allowed  a 
meeting  to  be  held  without  coming  to  it  if  it  were  possible  for 
him  to  attend.  As  an  Association  we  miss  him,  but  there  is 
more  to  it  than  that.  I  miss  him  personally.  You  miss  him 
personally.  All  of  us  who  have  come  more  or  less  in  con- 
tact with  him,  miss  him  for  his  counsel,  for  his  pertinent  way 
of  saying  things,  for  his  homely  common  sense,  for  his  kindly 
spirit.  To  each  of  us  comes  the  sense  of  individual  loss,  for 
we  each  recall  instances  of  his  individual  kindly  consideration ; 
we  each  recognize  the  help  that  he  has  always  been  to  us." 

Professor  J.  O.  Schlotterbeck,  who  succeeds  Dr.  Prescott 
as  Dean  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy,  spoke  as  follows : 

"During  my  first  year  in  the  school  Dr.  Prescott  gave  the 
instruction  in  theoretical  pharmacy,  and  so  vividly  did  he 
elucidate  the  different  operations,  either  by  experiment,  verbal 
explanation,  or  blackboard  demonstration,  that  they  are  still 
fresh  in  my  mind,  and  I  can  see  the  good  Doctor  now,  as 
plainly  as  if  it  were  yesterday,  lecturing  behind  the  platform  of 
the  old  room  B  in  the  Chemical  Building.  His  unaffected 
simplicity,  unassuming  manner,  sweetness  of  character,  and  in- 
terest in  his  students  won  for  him  the  respect  and  admiration 
of  all  who  received  instruction  from  him. 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


Of  his  many  remarkable  characteristics,  his  wonderful 
choice  of  words  impressed  me  very  much.  He  always  enunci- 
ated very  distinctly,  and  with  such  deliberation  that  it  seemed 
as  if  every  word  were  as  carefully  weighed  before  being  spoken 
as  the  chemicals  or  drugs  which  he  balanced  up  for  an  impor- 
tant assay  or  chemical  determination.  He  never  used  a  word 
too  many. 

Dr.  Prescott  was  one  of  the  charter  members,  I  think,  of 
the  Michigan  State  Pharmaceutical  Association.  At  all  events 
he  was  from  the  first  enthusiastically  interested  in  its  welfare 
and  success.  He  took  an  active  part  in  all  its  discussions, 
whether  pertaining  to  educational  matters,  pharmaceutical 
jurisprudence,  practical  pharmacy,  or  trade  interests.  He  was 
one  of  the  framers  of  the  first  pharmacy  bill,  and  only  last 
year  assisted  in  drafting  that  measure  which,  with  some  modi- 
fication, has  become  our  present  law.  I  dare  say  that  no  one 
will  deny  that  the  clause  in  the  new  act,  requiring  of  all  candi- 
dates for  examination  a  general  education  equivalent  to  two 
years  in  a  high  school,  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  persistent 
efforts  for  more  than  forty  years  in  behalf  of  a  higher  standard 
of  culture  among  pharmacists. 

He  has  left  us;  we  shall  never  look  into  his  kindly  face 
again,  nor  shall  we  ever  have  the  privilege  of  grasping  his 
friendly  hand,  but  he  has  left  us  a  rich  treasure,  an  everlasting 
heritage,  that  will  grow  stronger  as  time  passes,  and  he  has  left 
us  an  inspiring  example." 

Professor  L.  E.  Sayre  of  the  University  of  Kansas  was 
present  and  spoke  feelingly  of  his  departed  friend : 

"Although  a  man  of  ripe  years,  he  seemed  to  me  as  one 
cut  off  in  the  midst  of  his  youth.  As  a  teacher  in  the  Uni- 
versity, the  young  made  up  his  environment,  and  in  that  envi- 
ronment he  was  at  home,  and  happy.  I  think  of  him  as  youth 
in  age — youth  with  all  its  aspirations,  its  hopes,  its  plans. 
Inopportunely,  it  seems  to  us,  spectators  of  this  life  drama, 

51 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


the  curtain  has  fallen,  the  footlights  have  been  extinguished. 
Is  there  to  be  no  fruition  of  the  aspirations,  the  hopes,  the 
plans  left  thus  unfulfilled  ?  Surely  there  will  be,  since  his  spirit 
lives  still  in  the  youths  who  have  companioned  with  him.  The 
personality  of  Dr.  Prescott  has  profoundly  influenced  those 
who  have  known  him.  I  cannot  describe  the  influence  upon 
myself, — its  nature  is  too  intimate,  too  sacred;  but  intellectu- 
ally, morally,  and  spiritually,  it  has  made  me  permanently  his 
debtor." 

Mr.  J.  W.  T.  Knox  of  Detroit  recalled  an  incident  that 
showed  the  universally  high  esteem  in  which  Dr.  Prescott  was 
held  throughout  the  United  States.  "At  the  jubilee  celebration 
of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  in  Philadelphia, 
there  were  present  twenty-one  ex-presidents  of  the  Association. 
Each  one,  as  he  marched  up  and  took  his  seat  on  the  platform, 
was  received  with  hearty  applause,  but  to  no  other  was  there 
accorded  such  an  ovation  as  that  which  greeted  our  beloved 
Dr.  Prescott.  On  other  occasions,  too,  there  have  been  similar 
spontaneous  demonstrations  in  his  honor.  We  are  too  close 
to  Dr.  Prescott  to  realize  what  he  did  or  even  what  he  tried 
to  do;  just  as  when  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  Washing- 
ton monument  we  cannot  begin  to  realize  its  immensity.  Its 
majesty  and  beauty  impress  us  only  when  we  see  it  in  due 
perspective." 

Mr.  A.  S.  Parker  of  Detroit  spoke  of  Dr.  Prescott  as  a  man 
in  whose  life  the  ideal  was  exemplified ;  kind  and  helpful  to  all ; 
possessed  of  extreme  modesty,  notwithstanding  his  greatness ; 
dignified,  courteous,  yet  firm,  always  a  prompt  defender  of 
what  he  considered  the  right,  and  yet  in  the  support  of  his 
beliefs  so  gentle  and  considerate  of  others  that  no  offense  was 
ever  given.  In  his  work  as  a  teacher,  in  his  beautiful  home 
life,  in  the  unconscious  influence  he  exerted  over  his  students 
and  associates,  he  equally  stands  in  memory  as  an  ideal  man. 

Other  speakers   followed,   relating  incidents   from   their 

52 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


personal  experience  illustrating  what  had  been  said  of  Dr. 
Prescott's  kindness  and  helpfulness  to  his  students. 

At  a  subsequent  session  of  the  Association,  Mr.  J.  W.  T. 
Knox  introduced  a  resolution  that  a  scholarship  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan  be  endowed  by  the  Association  as  a  memo- 
rial to  Dr.  Prescott.  The  resolution  was  favorably  received, 
and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  carry  it  into  effect. 

RESOLUTIONS   OF    THE    FACULTY    OF   THE    DEPARTMENT    OF 
MEDICINE  AND   SURGERY. 

WHEREAS,  After  a  lapse  of  many  years,  the  hand  of  Death 
has  once  again  been  laid  upon  the  Department  of  Medicine  and 
Surgery,  and  a  beloved  friend  and  colleague,  Albert  Benjamin 
Prescott,  has  been  taken  from  us,  happily  for  him,  while 
still  in  the  possession  of  his  powers  and  at  the  post  of  duty; 
therefore 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Prescott  this  depart- 
ment has  suffered  an  irreparable  loss.  A  man  conspicuous 
for  wide  and  accurate  knowledge,  of  rarest  judgment,  of 
unswerving  fidelity  to  his  work  and  to  his  faith,  and  unselfishly 
devoted  to  the  advancement  and  welfare  of  this  department, 
he  had  the  admiration  and  esteem  of  his  colleagues,  students, 
and  fellowmen. 

Through  his  great  benevolence,  his  gentleness  and  unfail- 
ing courtesy,  he  endeared  himself  to  all  who  knew  him,  and 
upon  the  developing  characters  of  the  young  men  and  women 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  he  exerted  a  far-reaching  and 
beneficent  influence. 

As  the  founder  of  laboratory  research  in  this  University 
he  occupied  a  unique  position,  and  through  the  inspiration  of 
his  work  and  counsel  he  stimulated  the  energies  and  ambitions 
of  many  of  his  students  to  successful  careers  of  scientific 
investigation  which  in  turn  have  added  to  the  renown  of  the 
University. 

53 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


While  mourning  the  loss  of  one  of  those  whose  place  can 
never  be  filled,  we  take  consolation  in  the  thought  that  his 
influence  remains  as  a  precious  heritage  to  this  Department 
and  to  the  University. 

Resolved,  further,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be 
transmitted  to  the  family  of  Dr.  Fresco tt  and  that  they  be 
spread  upon  the  minutes  of  the  Faculty  and  that  a  copy  be  fur- 
nished the  University  publications  and  the  public  press. 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL 
ASSOCIATION. 

WHEREAS,  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  has 
suffered  a  severe  loss  by  the  death,  on  February  25,  1905,  of 
its  former  President,  Albert  Benjamin  Prescott,  and 

WHEREAS,  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association 
wishes  to  express  its  sorrow  in  the  loss  of  our  esteemed  and 
beloved  member  who  has  efficiently  and  wisely  served  as  its 
President,  Chairman  of  the  Council,  and  on  various  commit- 
tees, be  it  therefore 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Prescott,  Pharmacy  at 
large  has  lost  a  true  and  devoted  servant,  who,  by  introducing 
laboratory  methods  of  instruction  and  by  demanding  higher 
entrance  and  curriculum  standards  in  pharmaceutical  educa- 
tion, has  exerted  an  influence  for  the  elevation  of  our  calling 
that  can  scarcely  be  overestimated;  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  by  his  singular  modesty,  gentleness  of  char- 
acter, purity  of  motive,  and  catholicity  of  spirit  he  has 
endeared  himself  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and 
that  his  example  will  ever  be  an  inspiration  for  good. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  transmitted  to 
the  bereaved  family,  together  with  an  expression  of  our  pro- 
foundest  sympathy. 

54 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  THE  FACULTY  OF  THE  SCHOOL  OF  PHAR- 
MACY. 

WHEREAS,  The  Faculty  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the 
University  of  Michigan  has  sustained  an  irreparable  loss  in  the 
death  of  its  Dean,  Albert  Benjamin  Prescott;  and, 

WHEREAS,  The  Faculty  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy  wishes 
to  record  its  deep  sense  of  sorrow,  caused  by  the  removal  from 
its  midst  of  a  wise  leader  and  a  beloved  colleague,  who  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  labored  earnestly  and 
unceasingly  for  the  advancement  of  pharmaceutical  education 
and  for  the  welfare  of  the  School  of  Pharmacy,  be  it  therefore 

Resolved,  That  by  the  death  of  Albert  Benjamin  Prescott, 
to  whose  efforts  and  labors  the  School  of  Pharmacy  owes  its 
high  standing  in  the  educational  world,  it  has  lost  a  most  valu- 
able executive,  one  whose  sterling  and  unselfish  qualities  have 
gained  the  lasting  respect,  admiration,  and  love  of  every  one 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact ;  and 

Resolved,  That  his  colleagues  and  students  will  ever  carry 
the  recollection  of  that  kindly  face,  that  cordial  and  consider- 
ate manner,  that  forgetfulness  of  self  in  thoughtfulness  for 
others,  as  a  cherished  and  tender  memory  and  inspiration  to 
better  work  and  a  better  life;  and  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  spread  upon 
the  minutes  of  the  Faculty,  and  also  that  a  copy,  with  the 
assurance  of  our  profound  sympathy,  be  conveyed  to  the 
bereaved  family. 

RESOLUTIONS  OF  THE  PHILADELPHIA  COLLEGE  OF 
PHARMACY. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy,  held  March  27,  1905,  the  following  resolutions 
were  unanimously  adopted: — 

WHEREAS,  Albert  B.  Prescott,  Ph.  D.,  the  distinguished 
chemist,  and  teacher  of  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  has,  after  long 

55 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


and  arduous  services,  ceased  from  his  labors,  and,  through  the 
inscrutable  wisdom  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  passed  from 
works  to  reward,  be  it  therefore 

Resolved,  That  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy 
places  upon  record  its  testimony  to  the  great  ability  of  our 
deceased  friend,  the  value  of  whose  labors  in  chemical  and 
pharmaceutical  science  are  gratefully  acknowledged  by  this 
College. 

Resolved,  That  his  character  as  a  man,  his  charity  for  all, 
and  loving  forbearance  have  endeared  his  memory  to  Ameri- 
can Pharmacists. 

Resolved,  That  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy 
tenders  to  his  widow  its  heartfelt  sympathy  in  the  loss  which 
she  has  sustained. 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


personal  (Tributes 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


personal  (tributes 


By  Professor  F.  W.  Clarke,  in  "  Science ": 

As  a  teacher  Dr.  Prescott  was  singularly  successful,  both  in 
his  personal  relations  with  his  students  and  as  an  organizer  of 
reforms.  He  began  his  work  at  a  time  when  lectures  and 
recitations  were  commonly  thought  to  be  adequate  instruments 
for  scientific  teaching;  and  when  laboratory  practice  for  stu- 
dents was  a  questionable  novelty  which  only  a  few  American 
schools  had  dared  to  try.  From  the  beginning  he  took  his  stand 
on  the  side  of  modern  methods,  and  organized  his  work  along 
practical  lines.  The  teaching  of  chemistry  in  schools  of  phar- 
macy and  medicine  was  notably  advanced  through  his  efforts, 
and  given  a  significance  which,  in  this  country  at  least,  it  had 
not  had  before.  In  this  respect  Prescott  was  one  of  several 
leaders;  less  conspicuous,  perhaps,  than  some  others,  because 
of  his  modesty  and  quiet  ways,  but  none  the  less  potent  and 
influential.  He  labored  unpretentiously,  but  the  results  which 
he  sought  to  accomplish  were  attained.  The  admirable  organ- 
ization of  chemical  work  in  the  University  of  Michigan  is  the 
outcome  of  Prescott' s  broad  and  liberal  views. 

Dr.  Prescott  early  recognized  the  value  of  research  as  a 
means  of  education,  and  so  his  students  often  shared  in  his 
investigations.  A  perfect  list  of  his  contributions  to  chemistry 
has  not,  I  think,  been  prepared ;  but  it  would  be  by  no  means  a 
short  one.  No  brilliant  or  startling  discovery  fell  to  his  lot, 
but  then  few  chemists  are  so  favored.  A  large  volume  of  good 
work,  well  done,  is  all  that  most  men  can  aspire  to,  and  in  that 
respect  Dr.  Prescott's  reputation  is  secure.  Those  who  knew 

59 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


him  will  think  most  of  the  man  himself,  rather  than  of  his 
achievements.  He  was  kindly,  modest,  sincere,  and  lovable; 
and  what  better  can  be  said  of  any  one? 

By  Professor  Oscar  Oldberg,  in  "American  Journal  of  Phar- 
macy ": 

Dr.  Prescott  rendered  services  of  inestimable  value  to  the 
progress  of  pharmacy  and  the  elevation  of  pharmaceutical 
education  in  America,  by  his  earnest  and  consistent  adherence 
to  high  standards.  The  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University 
of  Michigan  was  the  first  university  school  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  States.  It  offered  a  course  occupying  two  full  academic 
years  devoted  wholly  to  study  and  laboratory  practice.  Such 
a  course  had  never  before  been  attempted  for  the  education  of 
pharmacists  in  this  country.  The  task  of  introducing  it  was  a 
most  difficult  one  in  view  of  the  absence  of  any  definite  educa- 
tional requirements  prescribed  for  pharmacists  by  law,  so  that 
very  few  students  prepared  to  successfully  undertake  the  pro- 
gram of  work  laid  out  in  a  full  two  years'  course  could  be 
found  in  the  drug  stores  at  that  time.  American  pharma- 
ceutical college  education  thirty  years  ago  was  almost  wholly 
dependent  upon  concurrent  drug  store  training,  and  the 
requirements  for  graduation  in  pharmacy,  therefore,  included 
it.  But  the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
opened  its  doors  to  students  who  were  not  employed  in  drug 
stores,  but  who  were  prepared  and  ambitious  to  devote  their 
whole  time  for  two  years  to  study.  Pharmaceutical  education, 
including  substantial  laboratory  courses,  has  at  length  become 
firmly  established  in  the  United  States  largely  through  the  per- 
severance, tact,  and  patience  of  Dean  Prescott  and  those  who 
followed  in  his  footsteps. 

Dr.  Albert  B.  Prescott  was  a  singularly  unselfish,  modest, 
helpful,  generous,  and  lovable  man. 

60 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


By  Doctor  A.  B.  Lyons: 

No  one  who  ever  came  into  intimate  personal  contact  with 
Dr.  Fresco tt  can  speak  of  him  except  in  eulogy.  It  was  my 
privilege  to  form  his  acquaintance  very  soon  after  he  became 
connected  with  the  University  of  Michigan.  I  was  then  only 
one  of  over  five  hundred  medical  students  who  listened  to  his 
lectures  on  organic  chemistry.  Yet  for  Dr.  Prescott  every 
student  was  an  individual  and  the  object  of  a  sincere  friendly 
interest.  I  can  remember  that  the  feeling  among  the  students 
with  regard  to  organic  chemistry  was  that  it  belonged  to  the 
realm  of  transcendental  science — something  to  be  "crammed" 
for  examinations  and  then  forgotten  as  speedily  as  possible. 
Yet,  in  spite  of  himself,  the  student  would  find  himself  follow- 
ing with  genuine  interest  the  lectures  of  Dr.  Prescott.  It  was 
evident  that  the  subject  was  intensely  interesting  to  him,  and 
equally  plain  that  he  expected  his  hearers  to  share  his  interest. 
He  realized  the  difficulties  experienced  by  the  beginner  in 
mastering  the  elementary  facts  and  principles  of  a  science 
as  yet  in  its  infancy,  and  he  had  set  himself  the  task  of  making 
the  path  as  free  as  possible  from  needless  windings.  He  must 
have  known  that  his  audience  was  one  not  naturally  sympa- 
thetic, yet  no  expression  of  his  intimated  such  a  knowledge 
or  suspicion.  And  so  his  hearers,  in  spite  of  themselves, 
found  actual  pleasure  in  listening  to  the  lecturer.  Remember- 
ing the  class  of  students  that  were  at  that  time  in  the  medical 
department  of  the  University,  I  cannot  affirm  that  all  who 
listened  carried  away  as  a  permanent  possession  a  comprehen- 
sive knowledge  of  organic  chemistry,  but  I  am  sure  that  for 
those  who  were  really  students,  the  purpose  to  forget  what  had 
been  learned  in  that  lecture  course,  after  it  had  served  its 
immediate  purpose  of  carrying  them  through  their  examina- 
tions, was  frustrated  by  the  vivid  interest  that  had  been 
awakened  by  the  lecturer. 

61 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


Dr.  Prescott  was  never  a  very  rapid  or  fluent  speaker.  His 
words  were  always  chosen  with  evident  deliberation  as  though 
the  value  of  each  was  exactly  appraised.  He  knew  how  to 
simplify  truth  without  belittling  it  in  an  attempt  to  suit  it  to 
the  capacity  of  an  immature  mind.  He  always  gave  his  audi- 
ence credit  for  ordinary  intelligence,  avoiding  only  the  need- 
less use  of  undefined  technical  terms.  In  this  he  showed  the 
instinct  of  the  born  instructor. 

The  secret  of  Dr.  Prescott' s  success  as  a  teacher  after  all 
lay  in  his  individual  interest  in  each  student.  To  each  he  was 
a  personal  friend,  sympathetic,  and  always  ready  with  counsel 
and  helpful  suggestion.  This  was  not  policy.  It  was  simply 
the  spontaneous  expression  of  a  kindly  nature,  the  fruitage  of  a 
simple  but  profound  Christian  faith.  Add  to  these  qualifica- 
tions a  demeanor  singularly  gracious  and  modest,  yet  full  of 
dignity  and  firmness,  and  a  temper  absolutely  imperturbable, 
and  you  have  the  realization  of  the  ideal  teacher. 

But  Dr.  Prescott  was  more  than  a  mere  teacher.  He  had 
the  breadth  of  comprehension,  the  depth  of  devotion  to  ideals, 
the  strength  and  steadfastness  of  purpose  that  raised  him  to 
the  rank  not  only  of  an  educator  but  of  a  leader  among  educa- 
tors. The  University  of  Michigan  is  justly  proud  of  its  chem- 
ical and  pharmaceutical  laboratories,  and  still  more  of  the 
record  of  original  research  that  has  been  carried  on  in  them. 
It  can  never  forget  that  it  is  to  the  initiative  and  to  the  patient 
persistence  of  Dr.  Prescott  that  the  honor  of  all  this  is  very 
largely  due.  Yet  in  so  unostentatious  a  way  did  he  achieve  his 
successes  that  they  seemed  to  some  to  have  come  to  him  acci- 
dentally. 

In  truth,  success  was  to  him  only  an  incident  in  life.  The 
personality  of  the  man  was  more  than  any  achievement  of  his. 
So  we  who  were  his  pupils  may  remember  little  of  the  detail 
of  his  instruction,  but  we  shall  never  forget  the  revelation  that 
came  to  us  through  his  life  of  the  possibility  of  having  within 

62 


[  tt&jftiw, 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 

us  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  serene  air  he  breathed  had  in 
it  no  taint  of  selfishness  or  of  jealousy.  Life  for  him  meant 
opportunity  for  strenuous  endeavor — its  greatest  privilege  the 
service  of  one's  fellows. 

An  active  judicial  mind,  a  large  warm  heart  ever  going  out 
in  words  and  deeds  of  helpfulness,  a  soul  above  discontent  and 
knowing  no  such  thing  as  dishonor — these  make  up  the  man 
whose  memory  will  be  forever  green  in  the  heart  of  every  one 
who  was  privileged  to  know  him. 

By  Professor  Alfred  Senier,  of  Queen's  College,  Galway: 

As  one  of  the  late  Professor  Prescott's  earliest  students  I 
am  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  of  expressing  my  many  obli- 
gations to  him. 

Looking  back  over  the  more  than  thirty  years  which  have 
elapsed  since  I  worked  under  his  guidance  in  Ann  Arbor,  I  see 
before  me  a  distinct  picture  of  the  interior  of  the  larger  lab- 
oratory, the  benches  where  we  students  were  working,  and  the 
railed-off  bench  and  desk  of  our  professor  in  one  of  the  corners. 
I  can  recall  distinctly  how  we  admired  our  professor ;  how  we 
watched  for  the  announcements  of  those  discoveries  of  his 
which  were  making  for  him  the  high  position  which  he  attained 
among  the  world's  organic  chemists ;  how  easy  it  seemed  to  us 
to  learn  from  him ;  how  he  led  us  through  the  known  and  over 
the  boundary  into  the  unknown,  and  how  thus  we  made  our 
first  discoveries. 

Still,  if  I  ask  myself  what  has  proved  of  the  greatest  value 
to  me  of  what  I  learned  from  my  old  teacher  and  friend,  I 
think  that,  more  important  than  the  training  he  gave  me  in 
science,  have  been  the  lessons  I  learned  from  him  in  conduct, 
conduct  especially  in  the  relation  of  professor  to  student;  les- 
sons which  have  stood  me  in  good  stead  on  many  an  occasion 
since, — lessons  in  patience,  sympathy,  honesty. 

63 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


By  Professor  Edward  D.  Campbell: 

Any  one  who  has  served  for  some  time  under  Dr.  Prescott 
could  not  but  be  strongly  impressed  with  the  fact  that  he  was 
guided  by  clearly  defined  principles  in  all  his  actions  as  Direc- 
tor. Dr.  Prescott  was  himself  an  excellent  example  of  the 
highest  type  of  university  man,  for  in  him  were  combined  both 
the  teacher  and  investigator.  He  realized  that  the  greatness 
of  the  University  depends  primarily  on  the  reputation  of  the 
individuals  constituting  its  teaching  force.  While  he  did  not 
underestimate  the  importance  of  the  University  as  a  means 
of  disseminating  knowledge,  he  realized  that  the  University 
had  perhaps  a  higher  function  to  perform  in  becoming  an  ever 
increasing  source  of  knowledge.  It  was  this  latter  idea  which 
served  to  shape  his  policy  in  many  matters  connected  with 
laboratory  management.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  many 
students  in  the  senior  year  of  their  undergraduate  course  did 
advanced  work,  really  research,  equal  to  that  required  in  many 
universities  for  higher  degrees.  The  result  of  this  has  been 
that,  while  not  so  many  higher  degrees  have  been  conferred, 
the  men  who  have  graduated  from  this  laboratory  have  left 
with  an  independence  of  thought  that  has  enabled  them  to 
stand  favorably  in  comparison  with  the  graduates  of  other 
laboratories.  His  strong  desire  to  inspire  in  students  a  real 
love  for  their  work  was  still  further  shown  by  the  keen  interest 
he  took  in  the  graduate-students  and  the  important  place  he 
filled  in  the  chemical  colloquium,  where  the  graduate  and  other 
advanced  students  meet  for  informal  discussion  of  new  work 
with  members  of  the  teaching  force. 

In  his  treatment  of  the  men  on  his  teaching  staff  Dr.  Pres- 
cott was  most  just.  Realizing  as  strongly  as  he  did  that  the 
greatness  of  the  University  depended  on  the  greatness  of  its 
men,  he  endeavored  to  inspire,  by  example  and  precept,  the 
men  of  his  staff  to  make  something  more  than  simply  teach- 

64 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


ers  of  themselves.  He  made  one  feel  that  only  one-half  his 
duty  was  accomplished  when  he  had  done  the  teaching  assigned 
to  him ;  that  he  owed  a  higher  duty  to  the  University  in  that  he 
should  develop  himself  in  order  that  his  scientific  reputation 
should  help  to  add  at  least  a  little  to  the  luster  of  the  Uni- 
versity. 

In  the  management  of  the  finances  of  the  laboratory,  while 
he  endeavored  to  keep  expenses  down  as  far  as  was  consistent 
with  proper  attention  to  the  necessities,  he  was  always  ready 
to  assist  as  far  as  posssible  in  securing  facilities  for  research. 
It  was  the  keen  interest  he  felt  in  the  research  work  of  every- 
one working  under  him  that  drew  us  so  strongly  to  him,  and 
made  us  feel  that  it  was  an  honor  to  serve  our  apprenticeship 
under  such  a  master. 

By  President  James  B.  Angell,  in  his  Commencement  Ad- 
dress, June,  1905: 

I  cannot  part  with  you  without  reminding  you  that  in  the 
life  and  character  of  one  who,  to  our  great  sorrow,  has  been 
taken  from  us  this  year,  we  had  a  most  beautiful  example  of 
the  union  in  one  mind  of  the  passion  for  learning  and  the 
passion  for  research.  In  him  was  the  most  harmonious  com- 
bination of  love  for  the  great  fundamental  beliefs  of  Chris- 
tianity with  the  spirit  of  welcome  for  every  revelation  of  new 
truth,  whether  by  scientific  investigation  or  by  sound  biblical 
scholarship.  Dr.  Prescott,  the  senior  professor  in  this  univer- 
sity, was  an  ideal  illustration  of  the  Christian  scientific  scholar. 
No  child  was  more  modest  and  humble  in  his  own  estimate  of 
his  worth.  No  saint  was  more  firm  in  his  loyalty  to  his  Lord 
and  Master.  No  scientist  was  more  ardent  in  research  after 
new  scientific  truth.  No  disciple  was  more  convinced  that  his 
research  was  sacred  work,  and  that  every  discovery  he  made  of 
chemical  facts  or  chemical  laws  was  a  revelation  of  the  divine 

65 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


mode  of  operation.  But  antecedent  to  all  research  no  student 
was  more  assiduous  in  learning  all  that  the  wisdom  of  other 
investigators  had  to  communicate  to  him  as  the  ground-work 
for  his  own  quest.  Long  will  his  influence  abide  with  us.  The 
memory  of  his  many  years  of  conspicuous  service,  and  still 
more  of  his  pure  and  beautiful  character,  will  remain  as  one 
of  our  most  precious  treasures.  May  it  inspire  each  one  of  us 
to  combine  in  due  proportion  as  he  did  the  old  and  the  new, 
culture  and  research,  the  most  genuine  scientific  spirit  with  the 
sincerest  piety,  devotion  to  God  and  love  for  his  fellow  man. 


66 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


ftibliograpby  of  Writings 


ALBERT    BENJAMIN     PRESCOTT 


Bibliography  of  Mritings  and  Contributions 

1.  THE  BLOW-PIPE  ASSAY.— 

1869 :    Engineering  and  Mining  Journal,  8 : 360,  370,  386. 

2.  SIMPLE   APPARATUS   FOR  RAPID   VAPORIZATION   AT   LIMITED   HEAT, 

UNDER  REDUCED  PRESSURE,  WITHOUT  THE  USE  OF  A  PUMP. — 
1870 :    Chem.  News,  20 : 222. 

3.  EDITORIALS  AND  ARTICLES  IN  MICHIGAN  UNIVERSITY  MEDICAL  JOUR- 

NAL.— 
1870-3 :    Vols.  1-3. 

4.  ON  SULPHOPHENIC  ACID. — 

1871 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  19 : 550. 

5.  PHARMACEUTICAL  EDUCATION. — 

1871 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  19 : 425. 

6.  ON  THE  CONTAMINATION  OF  POTABLE  WATERS  WITH  LEAD  AND  ZINC.— 

1871 :    Mich.  Univ.  Med.  Jour.,  2 : 270. 

7.  ANALYSIS  OF  GLACIAL  PHOSPHORIC  ACID  OF  COMMERCE.— 

1872 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  20 : 259. 

8.  QUALITATIVE  CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS  :  A  GUIDE  TO  THE  PRACTICAL  STUDY 

OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  IN  THE  WORK  OF  ANALYSIS. — 
Douglas  and  Prescott. 
1874:    Ann  Arbor. 

9.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  SCHOOL  OF  PHARMACY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

MICHIGAN. — 
1875 :    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  47 : 454,  481. 

10.  OUTLINES  OF  PROXIMATE  ORGANIC  ANALYSIS.  FOR  THE  IDENTIFICATION, 

SEPARATION,  AND  QUANTITATIVE  DETERMINATION  OF  THE  MORE 
COMMONLY  OCCURRING  ORGANIC  COMPOUNDS. — 
1875:    D.  Van  Nostrand. 

11.  CHEMICAL  EXAMINATION  OF  ALCOHOLIC  LIQUORS.    A  MANUAL  OF  THE 

CONSTITUENTS  OF  THE  DISTILLED  SPIRITS  AND  FOMENTED  LIQUORS 
OF  COMMERCE,  AND  THEIR  QUALITATIVE  AND  QUANTITATIVE  DE- 
TERMINATION.— 
1875:    D.  Van  Nostrand. 

12.  COMPARATIVE  DETERMINATIONS  OF  THE  SOLUBILITIES  OF  ALKALOIDS  IN 

CRYSTALLINE,  AMORPHOUS,  AND  NASCENT  CONDITIONS:  WATER- 
WASHED  SOLVENTS  BEING  USED. — 
1875:    Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Science,  241 1,  114. 

13.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  MICHIGAN.    I. — 

Am.  Chemist,  6 : 41. 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


14.  THE  AROMATIC  GROUP  IN  THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  PLANTS. — 

1875 :    Proc.  Ann  Arbor  Scientific  Assoc.,  i :  49. 

15.  QUALITATIVE  CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS.  A  GUIDE  IN  THE  PRACTICAL  STUDY 

OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  IN  THE  WORK  OF  ANALYSIS. — 
Douglas  and  Prescott;  second  edition,  revised. 
1876:    D.  Van  Nostrand. 

16.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  MICHIGAN.    II.— 
1876 :    Am.  Chemist,  7 : 44. 

17.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  SCHOOL  OF  PHARMACY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

MICHIGAN. — 
1876 :    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  48 :  356. 

18.  EDITORIALS  AND   CONTRIBUTIONS   CONSTITUTING   A   DEPARTMENT  OF 

CHEMISTRY    AND    PHARMACY    IN    THE    PENINSULAR    MEDICAL 
JOURNAL. — 
1876:    January  to  December,  incl. ;  New  Series,  I. 

19.  THE  MATERIAL  RESOURCES  OF  LIFE.— 

1877 :    Popular  Science  Monthly,  n :  339. 

20.  LABORATORY  NOTES. — 

1877:    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  49:481. 

21.  THE  ACTION  OF  HYDROCHLORIC  ACID  UPON  METALLIC  SULPHATES.  With 

Young  and  Dixon. — 
1877 :    Chem.  News,  36 : 178. 

22.  FORMATION  OF  CRYSTALS  OF  CALCIUM  OXALATE  IN  THE  URINE  AFTER 

DISCHARGE.    With  Miss  Post. — 
1878 :    Chem.  News,  37 : 76. 

23.  TESTS  OF  THE  SERVICE  OF  A  DOMESTIC  WATER  FILTER.    With  Reed  and 

Hauck.— 
1878 :    Chem.  News,  37 : 107. 

24.  THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  FRUIT  RIPENING. — 

1877 :    Popular  Science  Monthly,  12 :  460. 

25.  A  REVIEW  OF  THE  PROGRESS  OF  PHARMACY.    1875-6. — 

1876:    Proc.  Mich.  Phar.  Assoc.,  p.  9. 

26.  A  REVIEW  OF  THE  PROGRESS  OF  PHARMACY.    1876-7.— 

1877:    Proc.  Mich.  Phar.  Assoc.,  p.  7, 

27.  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  MICHIGAN  PHARMACEUTICAL 

ASSOCIATION. — 
1876 :    Proc.  Mich.  Phar.  Assoc.,  pp.  15,  16. 

28.  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  MICHIGAN  PHARMACEUTICAL 

ASSOCIATION. — 
1877:    Proc.  Mich.  Phar.  Assoc. 

29.  POISONS  AND  THEIR  ANTIDOTES.— 

1880:    "Wood's  Household  Practice  of  Medicine,"  1:771. 

30.  LABORATORY  NOTES. — 

1878 :    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  50 :  561. 

70 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


31.  SEPARATION  OF  GLYCERIN  PROM  MIXTURES  CONTAINING  GLUCOSE  AND 

SUCROSE.    With  Koehnk.— 
1878 :    New  Remedies,  7 : 354. 

32.  SEPARATION  OF  STRYCHNINE  FROM  BRUCINE.    With  A.  D.  Smith. — 

1878 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  26 : 806. 

33.  VALUATION  OF  TINCTURE  OF  OPIUM.    With  Heim. — 

1878 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  26 : 823. 

34.  MORPHIOMETRIC  PROCESSES  FOR  OPIUM.    With  Stecher. — 

1878:    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  26 1807. 

35.  TRIAL  OF  SCHEMES  FOR  SEPARATION  AND  QUANTITATIVE  DETERMINA- 

TION OF  QUINIA,  QUINIDIA,  ClNCHONIA,  AND  ClNCHONIDIA.     With 

H.  Thum.— 
1878 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  26 : 828. 

36.  CHEMICAL  AND  MICROSCOPICAL  EXAMINATION  OF  THE  BARK  OF  RHAM- 

NUS  PURSHIANA. — 
1879 :    New  Preparations,  3 : 27. 

37.  CONCERNING  THE  DESIRABILITY  OF  LEGAL  MEASURES  TO  PREVENT  ADUL- 

TERATIONS OF  FOOD  AND  MEDICINE. — 
1879 :    New  Remedies,  8 : 152. 

38.  ARTICLES  IN  "NEW  PREPARATIONS."— 

1879:    Vol.  j. 

39.  ARTICLES  IN  "THE  PHYSICIAN  AND  SURGEON."— 

1879:    i- 2, 203,  515;  2\ 97, 337. 

40.  FIRST  BOOK  IN  QUALITATIVE  CHEMISTRY. — 

1879:    D.  Van  Nostrand. 

41.  ARTICLES  IN  "REPORT  UPON  THE  REVISION  OF  THE  U.  S.  PHARMA- 

COPOEIA/'— 
1880:    pp.  26,  31,  59, 116,  117. 

42.  MORPHIOMETRIC  ASSAY  OF  OPIUM.    With  Geisler. — 

1880 :    New  Remedies,  9 : 356. 

43.  HOUSE  FILTRATION  OF  POTABLE  WATERS. — 

1880:    Report  Mich.  State  Board  of  Health,  p.  61. 

44.  COMPOSITION   OF  ALKALI    SOLUTIONS   OF  ALUMINIUM,   ZINC,   AND 

SILVER.    Contributions  from  Chemical  Laboratory  of  University 
of  Michigan. — 
1880 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  2 : 27. 

45.  QUALITATIVE  CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS.  A  GUIDE  TO  THE  PRACTICAL  STUDY 

OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  IN  THE  WORK  OF  ANALYSIS. — 
Douglas  and  Prescott.    Third  edition. 
1880:    D.  Van  Nostrand. 

46.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  MICHIGAN.    III. — 
1880 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  2 : 333. 

47.  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  ALKALOIDAL  PRECIPITATES  WITH  POTASSIUM 

MERCURIC  IODIDE.— 
1880:    Am.  Chem.  Jour.,  ^1294. 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


48.  NOSTRUMS  IN  THEIR  RELATIONS  TO  THE  PUBLIC  HEALTH. — 

1881 :    Report  of  Mich.  State  Board  of  Health,  p.  150. 

49.  THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  COFFEE  AND  TEA.— 

1882:    Popular  Science  Monthly,  ,20:359. 

50.  ON  THE  LIMITED  BIOLOGIC  IMPORTANCE  OF  SYNTHETIC  ACHIEVEMENTS 

IN  ORGANIC  CHEMISTRY. — 
1881 :    Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Sci.,  p.  68  (abstract). 

51.  EXTRACTS  OF  MALT. — 

1881 :    "The  Physician  and  Surgeon,"  3 : 548. 

52.  ADULTERATION  OF  FOODS. — 

1882 :    Report  Mich.  State  Board  of  Health,  p.  203. 

53.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  MICHIGAN.    With  Vaughan. — 

1882:    Reprinted  from  the  August  and  September  numbers  of 
"The  Physician  and  Surgeon." 

54.  REPORT  ON  THE  PUBUC  WATER  SUPPLY  OF  DETROIT.    With  Wrampel- 

meier. — 
1882 :    Ann.  Report,  Board  of  Health  of  Detroit,  p.  231. 

55.  IN  THE  SIXTH  DECENNIAL  REVISION  OF  THE  U.  S.  PHARMACOPOEIA. — 

1882:  As  member  of  the  Committee  of  Revision,  assigned  on 
Sept  15,  1880,  as  chairman  of  Committee  on  Descriptive  Chemistry, 
and  ,-S  Committee  on  the  Alkaloidal  assays,  the  volumetric  tests,  the 
reagents,  and  the  atomic  weights. 

56.  TIN  IN  CANNED  FRUITS. — 

1882:    The  Sanitary  Engineer,  6:515. 

57.  LIMITS  AND  TESTS  OF  OUR  MEDICINAL  STANDARDS. — 

1883:    Therapeutic  Gazette,  7:49. 

58.  EXTRACT  OF  MALT,  ITS  PLACE  AS  A  FOOD  AND  A  REMEDY. — 

1883 :    Pharmacist  and  Chemist,  16 :  53. 

59.  STRENGTH  OF  OPIUM  PREPARATIONS.— 

1883 :    "The  Physician  and  Surgeon,"  5 : 65. 

60.  PHARMACOPOEIAL  TESTS  OF  AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  IODIDE  OF  POTAS- 

SIUM.— 
1883 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  31 : 367. 

61.  STRENGTH  OF  OPIUM  AND  ITS  PREPARATIONS  IN  USE  IN  THIS  COUNTRY 

AS  COMPARED  WITH  THE  STANDARDS  OF  THE  U.  S.  PH.  OF  1870  AND 
1880.— 
1883 :    Proc.  Mich.  State  Phar.  Asso.,  i :  48. 

62.  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  MICHIGAN.    With  Vaughan. — 
1883 :    Reprint  from  "Physician  and  Surgeon." 

63.  PROPRIETARY  MEDICINES  IN  THE  FUTURE. — 

1884 :    Druggists'  Circular,  28 : 98. 

64.  WHY  SHOULD  DRUGGISTS  USE  THE  PHARMACOPOEIA?— 

1884:    Proc.  Mich.  State  Phar.  Assoc.,  2:99. 

72 


ALBERT     BENJAMIN     PRESCOTT 


65.  SHOULD  PROPRIETARY  MEDICINES  BE  REQUIRED  TO  BEAR  AN  ACCOUNT  o* 

THEIR  CONTENTS? — 
1885 :    Proc.  Mich.  State  Med.  Assoc.,  p.  153. 

66.  CONTROL  ANALYSES  AND  LIMITS  OF  RECOVERY  IN  CHEMICAL  SEPARA- 

TIONS.— 
1885 :    Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Sci.,  34: 109. 

67.  REPORT  AS  CHAIRMAN  OF  COMMITTEE  ON  LEGISLATION  FOR  PROPRIETARY 

MEDICINES,  AM.  PHAR.  Assoc.,  PITTSBURG  MEETING,  SEPT.  10, 
1885.    WITH  DRAFT  OF  BILL  FOR  A  LAW.    ADOPTED  BY  THE  ASSO- 
CIATION.— 
1885 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Asso.,  S3 '  394,  549- 

68.  STRENGTH  OF  TINCTURE  OF  IODINE  AND  ITS  PHARMACOPOEIAL  STAND- 

ARD.— 
1885:    Proc.  Mich.  State  Phar.  Assoc.,  3: 152. 

69.  THE  LITERATURE  OF  PHARMACY. — 

1886:    Western  Druggist,  8:?i> 

70.  REPORT  OF  ANALYSIS  OF  BAY  CITY  WATERS,  OCTOBER  TO  DECEMBER, 

1885.— 
1886 :    Fourteenth  Annual  Report,  Supt.  Bay  City  Water- Works. 

71.  A  MEMORIAL  ADDRESS  UPON  THE  LIFE  AND  SERVICES  OF  HENRY  BETTS 

PARSONS. — 

Delivered  before  the  Alumni  Association  of  the  School  of  Phar- 
macy of  the  University  of  Michigan,  June  30,  1886. 

72.  OUTLINE  OF  A  PLAN  OF  STUDY  FOR  THE  ASSISTANT  IN  PHARMACY.— 

1886:    Proc.  Mich.  State  Phar.  Assoc.,  4: 113. 

73.  THE  ESTIMATION  OF  NITRATES  IN  POTABLE  WATERS. — 

1887:    Phar.  Era,  1:99. 

74.  THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  NITROGEN  AS  DISCLOSED  IN  THE  CONSTITUTION  OF 

ALKALOIDS. — 

Address  of  the  Chairman  of  the  Section  of  Chemistry,  Am.  Assoc. 
Adv.  Sci.,  New  York  meeting,  August,  1887.  Proc.  Am.  Assoc. 
Adv.  Sci. 

75.  POSITIVE  AND  NEGATIVE  UNITS  OF  VALENCE. — 

1887 :    Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Sci.,  36. 

76.  ORGANIC  ANALYSIS:    A  MANUAL  OF  THE  DESCRIPTIVE  AND  ANALY- 

TICAL CHEMISTRY  OF  CERTAIN  CARBON  COMPOUNDS  IN  COMMON 
USE.  FOR  THE  QUALITATIVE  AND  QUANTITATIVE  ANALYSIS  OF 
ORGANIC  MATERIALS;  COMMERCIAL  AND  PHARMACEUTICAL  AS- 
SAYS ;  THE  ESTIMATION  OF  IMPURITIES  UNDER  AUTHORIZED  STAND- 
ARDS; FORENSIC  EXAMINATION  FOR  POISONS;  AND  ELEMENTARY 
ORGANIC  ANALYSIS. — 
1887:  D.  Van  Nostrand. 

77.  ARTIFICIAL  SALICYLIC  ACID.    With  Ewell. — 

1888 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  36 :  7& 

73 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


78.    COMMITTEE  REPORT  "ON  THE  ORGANIZATION  OP  A  NATIONAL  CHEMICAL 
SOCIETY/'  TORONTO  MEETING,  A.  A.  A.  S. — 
Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Sci.,  38 : 35. 


79.  ESTIMATION  OP  BROMINE  IN  PRESENCE  OP  CHLORINE.    With  Dunn. — 

1889 :    Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Sci.,  38 : 173. 

80.  REFERENCES  POR  THE  REVISION. — 

An  Index  of  Contributions  from  the  Mich.  State  Pharmaceutical 
Association,  and  the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of 
Michigan.  For  Reference  in  the  Revision  of  Pharmacopoeia. 
1883,  1890,  12  pp. 

81.  REVIEW  OP  THE  CONTRIBUTIONS  OP  THE  SCHOOL  OP  PHARMACY  OP  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OP  MICHIGAN  POR  THE  YEAR  1891. — 
Proc.  Mich.  State  Phar.  Assoc.,  9 : 23. 

82.  THE  USES  OP  BOOKS  IN  EXPERIMENTAL  SCIENCE.— 

1891 :    Inlander,  2 : 37. 

83.  NOTE  ON  THE  RECOVERY  OP  ARSENIC.— 

1892:    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  14:223. 

84.  THE  IMMEDIATE  WORK  IN  CHEMICAL  SCIENCE. — 

Address  of  the  retiring  President  of  the  A.  A.  A.  S.,  Aug.  17, 
1892 :  Proc.  Am.  Assoc.  Adv.  Sci.,  41. 

85.  CAPPEINE  AND  THE  QUESTION  OP  ITS  ISOMERISM. — 

1893:    Jour.  Am.  Med.  Assoc.,  .20:90. 

86.  THE  IODOMERCURATES  OP  ORGANIC  BASES.— 

1892 :    Am.  Chem.  Jour.,  14 : 606. 

87.  ON  CERTAIN  DISTINCT  ADVANCES  IN  THE  ANALYTICAL  CHEMISTRY  OP 

RECENT  YEARS.— 
1893 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  15. 

88.  RELIGIOUS  STUDIES  IN  CHEMICAL  SCIENCE. — 

1892:    Supplement  to  Bulletin  of  Students'  Christian  Association, 
Univ.  Mich. 

89.  NOTE  ON  THE  HISTORY  OP  "MAYER'S  SOLUTION." — 

1894 :    Pharmaceutische  Rundschan,  12 : 146. 

90.  PHARMACY  IN  GERMANY. — 

1894 :    Proc.  Mich.  State  Phar.  Assoc.,  12 : 90. 

91.  THE  PROFESSIONAL  SITUATION  IN  PHARMACY. — 

1895:    Phar.  Era,  13: 132. 

92.  THE  CHEMICAL  LABORATORIES  OP  GERMANY.— 

1895:    The  Phi  Chi  Communicator.    Reprints. 

93.  PHARMACEUTICAL  DEGREES  IN  STATE  UNIVERSITIES. — 

1895:    Read  before  Mich.  State  Phar.  Assoc.,  and  published  in 
Proceedings. 

94.  EXAMINATION  OP  SOME  PHILIPPINE  ISLAND  DRUGS  POR  ALKALOIDS.— 

1895 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  43 : 241. 

74 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


95.  INDICATORS  IN  THE  ALKALIMETRY  OF  ALKALOIDS.— 

1895 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  43 : 187. 

96.  THE  PERIODIDES. — 

1895 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  17 :  775. 

97.  PERIODIDES  OP  PYRIDINE.    With  Trowbridge.— 

1895 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  17 : 859. 

98.  DIPYRIDINE  TRIMETHYLENE  BROMIDE.    With  Flinterman. — 

1895 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  18 :  28. 

99.  NOTES  ON  A  FEW  PYRIDINE  ALKYL  IODIDES.— 

1895:    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  18:91. 

100.  PYRIDINE  ALKYL  HYDROXIDES.    With  Baer. — 

1896 :    Jour.  Chem.  Soc.,  18 : 244. 

101.  THE  FUNCTION  OP  PHARMACY  IN  THE  SOCIAL  BODY. — 

1896:    Phar.  Era,  16 : 7. 

102.  THE  CAFFEINE  COMPOUND  IN  KOLA.    PART  I.    With  Knox.— 

1896:    Jour.  Chem.  Soc.,  19:63. 

103.  REPORT  OP  THE  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE  OP  RESEARCH. — 

Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  August,  1896.    Proc.,  44 : 128. 

104.  THE  PERIODIDES  OP  ALKALOIDS  AS  MOLECULAR  FORMS  FOR  VOLUMETRIC 

OR  GRAVIMETRIC  ESTIMATION. — 
1896 :    Phar.  Review,  14 : 123. 

105.  PHARMACEUTICAL  EDUCATION. — 

1896 :    Phar.  Era,  id :  853. 

106.  ALKYL  BISMUTH  IODIDES  AND  THE  BISMUTH  IODIDES  OF  VEGETABLE 

BASES. — 
1897 :    Phar.  Review,  15 : 219. 

107.  THE  CAFFEINE  COMPOUND  IN  KOLA.    PART  II.    KOLA-TANNIN.    With 

Knox. — 
1897 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  20 :  34. 

108.  SECOND  ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE  ON  RESEARCH. — 

Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  August,  1897. 

109.  A  VOLUMETRIC  ASSAY  OF  OPIUM.    With  Gordin. — 

1898 :    Pharm.  Archives,  1 : 121. 

no.    THE  THERAPEUTICAL  ECONOMICS  OF  OPEN  COMPOSITION. — 
1898 :    Jour.  Am.  Med.  Assoc.,  21 : 891. 

in.    THE  CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  OF  BUTTER  FAT  IN  DISTINCTION  FROM 

FATS  OF  MEATS  AND  OF  SEEDS. — 
1898 :    Michigan  Academy  of  Science. 

112.  ATROPINE  PERIODIDES  AND  IODOMERCURATES.    With  Gordin.— 

1898 :    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  70 : 294. 

113.  CERTAIN  ALKALOIDAL  PERIODIDES  AND  THE  VOLUMETRIC  ESTIMATION  OF 

ALKALOIDS  AS  HIGHER  PERIODIDES.    With  Gordin. — 
1898:    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  46:355. 

75 


ALBERT  BENJAMIN  PRESCOTT 


114.  EINE  NEUE  METHODE  DER  MORPHINGEHALT  DES  OPIUMS  zu  BESTIM- 

MEN.    With  Gordin.— 
1899 :    Archiv.  d.  Pharmacie,  237 : 380. 

115.  THE  RELATIVE  MERITS  OP  GRAHAM  AND  PATENT  FLOURS. — 

1899 :    Mick  State  Millers'  Convention,  pp.  12-15. 

116.  COUMARIN     AND     VANILLIN — THEIR     SEPARATION,     ESTIMATION     AND 

IDENTIFICATION    IN   COMMERCIAL    FLAVORING  EXTRACTS.    With 
Hess.— 
1899 :    Jour.  Am.  Chem.  Soc.,  21 : 256. 

117.  EMETINE  OCTOIODIDE  AND  THE  EXTRACTION  AND  ESTIMATION  of  ALKA- 

LOIDS GENERALLY.    With  Gordin. — 
1899:    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  71: 14. 

118.  HYDRASTINE  HEXAIODIDE  AND  THE  ASSAY  OF  HYDRASTIS  CANADENSIS, 

BY  MEANS  OP  STANDARD  IODINE  FOR  HYDRASTINE  AND  POTASSIUM 
IODIDE  POR  BERBERINE.    With  Gordin. — 
1899 :    Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  71 : 257. 

119.  THE  ASSAY  OP  OPIUM,  A  SUPPLEMENTARY  NOTE.    With  Gordin. — 

1899 :    Pharm.  Review,  17 :  No.  6. 

120.  FURTHER  WORK  UPON  THE  ESTIMATION  OP  ALKALOIDS  AND  THE  ASSAY 

OP  ALKALOIDAL  DRUGS.    With  Gordin. — 
1899:    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  47:261. 

121.  DIRECTIONS  FOR  CERTAIN  ALKALOIDAL  ASSAYS.    With  Gordin.— 

1899 :    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  47 : 271. 

122.  THE  PRESIDENTIAL  ADDRESS  IN  THE  FORTY-EIGHTH  ANNUAL  MEETING 

OF  THE  AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION,  RICHMOND, 
VIRGINIA,  MAY  7,  1900. 
Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  48. 

123.  EXTRACTION  AND  ESTIMATION  OF  COLCHICINE.    With  Gordin.— 

1900:    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  48. 

124.  SHORT  DIRECTIONS  FOR  THE  ASSAY  OF  OPIUM.    With  Gordin.— 

1900:    Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  48. 

125.  THE  ALKALOIDS  IN  TOXICOLOGY. — 

1904:    Legal  Medicine  (Haines  and  Peterson).    Philadelphia. 

126.  EDUCATIONAL  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  ADMISSION  TO  SCHOOLS  OF  PHAR- 

MACY AND  FOR  THE  PRACTICE  OF  PHARMACY  UNDER  STATE  I<AW. 

1904:    Reprint  from  the  Proceedings  of  the  Mich.  State  Phar. 
Assoc. 


UNIVEESITY   OF   CALIFOKNIA   LIBKAKY, 
BEKKELEY 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED   BELOW 

Books  not  returned  on  time  are  subject  to  a  fine  of 
50c  per  volume  after  the  third  day  overdue,  increasing 
to  $1.00  per  volume  after  the  sixth  day.  Books  not  in 
demand  may  be  renewed  if  application  is  made  before 
expiration  of  loan  period. 


nrr     g  1941  V 


50m-7,'29 


